The jinx which seems to keep blighting Southend High Street has struck again.

Workers had to be called out yesterday, after a burst water main damaged the new paving.

The water damage was the latest in a string of problems to affect the High Street paving - which seems to have suffered a different problem almost every month since it was completed in 2005.

Yesterday, shoppers were again forced to sidestep a damaged area of paving while Essex and Suffolk Water contractors carried out emergency repairs, which were due to be completed this morning.

The 12.15am burst affected an area about 160 feet long and seven feet wide between the new George clothes store and the railway bridge.

Fire crews from Southend and Leigh were called out to help deal with flooding.

And once again, the paving came up, as contractors checked to see what work was needed on the water main.

Essex and Suffolk Water's Claire Bishop said: "It was a burst in a four-inch main and the water supply had to be turned off for half an hour.

"There was damage to an area of paving in the High Street, but having checked on the remedial work needed, we have been able to complete the work quickly.

"Fortunately, no homes or businesses were affected and the work was carried out as quickly as possible, to minimise disruption, while ensuring safety for pedestrians."

The burst set off alarms at the nearby Jessops photographic store and shoppers, forced to walk near the dug up area, could not avoid walking sand into the shop.

A Jessops spokesman said: "For once, the contractors moved really quickly, unlike the problems there have been in the past."

Southend councillor responsible for the High Street works, Brian Kelly, said: "It is unfortunate, but when you have a burst water main, urgent action has to be taken.

"Essex and Suffolk Water has moved very quickly to deal with the problem."

The Sshape (Southend High Street, seafront and Pier Hill enhancement) scheme, of which the paving was a key part, has encountered a number of problems down the years: * No sooner had work been finish on the first part of the paving, than it had to be dug up to allow a major gas main to be relaid.

* During the scheme, the council ended up employing three different sets of contractors.

* The High Street was then had to be dug up again several times to fix faults with the paving.

* Finally, it was revealed the whole scheme had come in £600,000 over-budget.