Pete Bevington

14 November, 2007

EIGHTEEN salmon workers had to be sent home yesterday (Tuesday) after a water main burst in Mid Yell, on the Shetland island of Yell.

Salmon processors Mainstream (Scotland) Ltd have lost an entire day’s production as a result of the burst, which happened on Monday.

Scottish Water restored supplies of drinking water to the village around 5pm last night, after taking in water barrels for about 250 households on Monday morning.

However the loss of pressure had the biggest impact on the fish factory. Workers were initially sent home on Monday, and yesterday they only managed to process the previous day’s salmon before being sent home again.

Factory manager Gelda Johnson said: “We just did a couple of hours this morning before the water went off, so we have actually missed a whole day.”

Scottish Water spokesman Jason Rose said customers’ supplies should have returned to normal, allowing the company begin repair work on the burst main. Customers should not be affected by this work, he said.