Disruption caused by a major pipe burst on a main road into Bradford is likely to continue at least into next week, Yorkshire Water has said.

White Abbey Road remains closed to through traffic between Lumb Lane and the A6177 Carlisle Road after the burst ripped up the road on October 10, causing water to shoot 40ft into the air.

It was thought the road might be able to re-open yesterday but a further problem with a connected water pipe was discovered.

A spokesman for the Bradford-based water company said yesterday: “We are working as quickly as we can to carry out repairs on the water pipe following last week’s burst and we apologise for any disruption the road closure is causing.

“Today, the other utilities are carrying out repairs to their pipes at the site of the burst, whilst we are working on a related issue on a connected water pipe further up the road.

“We would again like to stress that businesses in the area are open as normal, and we are doing all we can to open the road as quickly as possible.

“At this stage we cannot guarantee when the road will be fully open, but we are hoping to be able to re-open one lane at some point next week.”

Atique Rehman, owner of Lagan Designer Wear, in White Abbey Road, said the floor of his shop had been damaged along with some bags that were in the cellar.

Although the shop has re-opened, he said business was suffering because of the road closure. He said: “There’s no customers, we were shut completely for a week, even now we are open we are not getting the passing trade.

“This road has people coming from other towns because it is a main road in and out of Bradford so it is affecting us quite a lot.”

And Shuja Akram, owner of Kesser Jewellers, in White Abbey Road, said: “We’ve had virtually zero, business-wise, because traffic can’t get through.”