HOMES in a Southampton street were left in darkness after a lorry hit overhead power cables that were stretched over the road.

The huge lorry was travelling along Upper Weston Lane when it hit the cables, ripping them away from some of the houses yesterday.

A car parked on one of the forecourts is believed to have been damaged by falling debris.

Residents said the lorry failed to stop, possibly because the driver was unaware of what had happened.

The road, which links Portsmouth Road and Newtown Road, was closed at both ends to keep cars and pedestrians away from live cables lying on the ground.

An inner cordon was set up halfway along the street, with tape stretched across the road either side of the spot where most of the damage occurred.

Engineers repaired the damage and began the task of restoring supplies. Homes were still without power as darkness fell but most of the properties were back on shortly after 7.30pm.

One of the people affected said: "I heard a loud noise about 2.30pm-3pm. A lorry hit some of the cables and ripped them away from the houses."

Asked for his reaction to being left without power for several hours he said: "These things happen, but the children complained about not having wi-fi."

A neighbour added: "The lorry didn't stop - the driver might not have known what he'd done."

The road has now reopened.