The infamous Banbury Cross 'fountain' that blew into the air when a water main broke in May, threatens again as a leak appeared again at the weekend.

Water is being forced up through the seam of the new road surface following the excavations needed in May.

At that time Thames Water said the extremes of drought and frost could make old pipes fragile and West Bar was closed while extensive repairs were carried out. A number of properties were left without water.

It is not known whether the water escaping is from the same pipework. Thousands of gallons are cascading downhill towards the Cross roundabout and beyond.

A new water leak at the site of the fountain that closed the road for days when a mains pipe broke in the summer

placeholder image — A new water leak at the site of the fountain that closed the road for days when a mains pipe broke in the summer

A TW spokesman said: “We’ve investigated the leak and now we’re planning the repair. We prioritise repairs based on a number of factors, including the amount of water being lost, the effect on customers’ water supply, the complexity and the location.

“We will repair this leak as soon as we can and apologise for the inconvenience caused.”