A WATER main has burst causing a 20ft jet to shoot into the air in a city side street today.

The pipe on St Hild's Lane in Durham appeared to have ruptured leading to a large plume shooting into the air, spraying into nearby gardens and down the sloping street, past university buildings.

It happened near The College of St Hild and St Bede, which is part of Durham University, but it is not on their property.

The image was captured by Northern Echo reporter Bruce Unwin, who was was on his way back from Durham Crown Court.

He said: "I first became aware of it because I was walking up and saw the water coming down the footpath.

"When I got up the bank, I heard this gushing sound.

"Everyone is just waiting for the water board to arrive.

"The Durham University Day Nursery is on the other side, but luckily for them the water is going the other way. I'm told the kids there were loving it.

"It is going into the garden of the house next to it, which is unoccupied at the moment, and is gushing down the bank, past some of the college buildings."