AROUND 1,000 homes in Hoylake were without power for more than an hour this evening because of an underground cable fault.

Scottish Power engineers quickly worked to locate and repair the fault, which was reported at around 7pm and left thousands of residents in darkness.

Power was restored at 8.05pm.

A spokesman for Scottish Power told the Globe: "As soon as the fault was reported our engineers worked quickly to repair the problem. 

"We'd like to apologise to residents for any inconvenience that was caused, but are happy to say all power is back on." 

The power cut and work to repair it was cold comfort for one Hoylake resident, who told the Globe: "With candles all over the house, it was like the winter of discontent all over again, when there was electrical blackout across the county.

"The serious aspect of this is that many elderly people would have been sitting at home alone, wondering what on earth was going on.

"My elderly mother is among them and was very concerned."