SOME shops in the centre of Wisbech who were forced to close when their power supplies failed are back in business. Traders in Norfolk Street found themselves without electricity due to a fault in an underground cable, have had supplies restored. Power wa

SOME shops in the centre of Wisbech who were forced to close when their power supplies failed are back in business.

Traders in Norfolk Street found themselves without electricity due to a fault in an underground cable, have had supplies restored.

Power was cut off to seven customers at 9.43am yesterday (Thursday) and EDF Energy Networks engineers were on site by 10.15am.

A spokesman for EDF Energy said: "Unfortunately this fault has proved particularly difficult to locate and repair.

" Excavation work was carried out overnight and it was necessary to isolate supplies to 54 customers for a short period from 4.30am to 5.18am today (Friday), while our engineers worked on the network."

Power was restored to all customers by 12.38pm with the exception of single premises to which power was restored at 2.58pm. We would like to apologise for the inconvience caused."

During the power cut businesses helped each other to cope. Clients at hairdresser's Jennifer Jayne had help from Deans Barbers.

Stylist Hayley Broughton said: "It was a nightmare because everything runs off the electricity here so we couldn't wash hair, dry or straighten.

"Some shops did have to close but most of us kept going. We were worried that we still wouldn't have any electricity by Saturday.