People have been queuing for water after as pressure problems have left households without access (Picture: Eddie Mitchell)

Hundreds of people have been queueing up for bottled water as they face a Christmas without access to it in their homes.

Pressure problems in the south of England caused by a leaky pipe have left 24,000 households without access to water, which could extend to Christmas Day.

Drivers have been pictured waiting in queues to collect bottled water from stations in impacted areas across Hampshire, including Southampton.

Traffic at nearby roads was even forced to come to a complete halt in Eastleigh as households queued to receive their supply of water.

Earlier this week residents in Kent, Sussex, Hertfordshire and Essex were also forced to also turn to bottled water as their supply was affected.

Company Southern Water has said there would be a restricted supply of water for at least 48 hours as they were under ‘significant pressure’ after rapid thaw from the recent freezing temperatures caused pipes to burst.

Bob Collington, chief operating officer of Southern Water, said: ‘We are currently facing significant pressure on our water supply in parts of Hampshire, caused by a combination of factors, including leaks resulting from a “freeze/thaw” event.

Families now face not having access to water on Christmas Day (Picture: David Clarke/Solent News)

Traffic was even forced to come to a standstill as hundreds of motorists queued (Picture: David Clarke/Solent News)

‘This has meant the demand for water is outstripping the ability of our water treatment sites to keep taps running.

‘We have had to make the difficult decision to reduce supply in order to protect critical Hampshire infrastructure like hospitals.

‘This means a significant number of homes are without water or have low pressure and this is likely to be ongoing until at least Friday.’

Ofwat, which regulates the industry, said: ‘Freezing water followed by a swift thaw has led to burst pipes and disruptions to water supply.

‘We need to see water companies stepping up, responding swiftly and offering support and compensation where appropriate throughout a trying period.’

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Some 24,000 households do not have access to water.