Disgruntled shopkeepers were yesterday counting the cost of a power cut which left them in the dark for hours.

More than 200 businesses in Basildon were thrown into chaos from around midday when a main electricity cable was cut.

The hospital, fire station and nearby traffic lights were also affected- at least for a short time - by the power cut.

The blackout was caused when a workman on the Fodderwick building site drove a JCB through the cable. He was not injured in the small explosion.

Many organisations, including shops in the Eastgate Centre, were able to carry on trading, thanks to emergency back-up generators.

Every shop on one side of the town square was closed for the whole afternoon.

A spokeswoman for Eastern Electricity said: "We always advise people to work with care when digging. Companies usually come to us for maps and plans before starting work.

"Still, we tell them to be careful as the ground does move. We would like to apologise for the disruption caused.

"The shopkeepers were without power for just over two hours. Efforts were made as soon as the accident happened to get the power supply back on.

"It took a couple of hours because the supply had to be turned off at the substation before the cable could be repaired and safety checks carried out."

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