A blackout caused Mother's Day misery for thousands of residents across the Maldon area.

Homes, restaurants and pubs were left without power when lights went out at 8pm yesterday. Power was restored intermittently until 11.30pm.

More than 11,000 people were hit by the blackouts which were caused by a problem with high voltage power lines.

Pub regulars were forced to drink by candlelight while some restaurants were forced to close early.

Staff at McDonalds in Fullbridge and the Benbridge Hotel's restaurant, in Heybridge, had to turn diners away because of the power cut. The Tesco garage opposite the fast food outlet was inundated with anxious homeowners who cleaned its shop out of candles.

Chris May, from the store, said the shop closed 15 minutes early but it was business as usual thanks to back-up generators.

Dog breeder Julie Revill, of Great Totham, returned home with husband Peter and had to feed her animals by candlelight.

Mrs Revill, a Crufts exhibitor and winner, admitted she was worried her video recorder had gone off in the cut and failed to catch last night's Crufts television programme.

"I don't expect the dogs minded eating in the dark, but I was annoyed about the video. I did not find out whether I had recorded it until this morning. Fortunately it was all right," she added.

Eastern Electricity spokeswoman Clare Bacon said there had been a problem with the high voltage overhead network, which was why so many homes were affected.

She said more than 11,000 customers were hit by the blackout which stretched across the Maldon area from Woodham Ferrers to Great Totham.

" We would like to apologise for the inconvenience this undoubtedly caused," she added.

The cause of the cut would not be known for several weeks and an investigation was under way.

The power cut came just hours before energy group Eastern - which owns Eastern Electricity - was expected to announce an increase in pre-tax profits.

The group has been buoyed by news it is powering more than one million new gas customers and 300,000 new electricity users since competition was introduced, it announced today.

The new customers have helped Eastern pre-tax profits increase by nine per cent to £383.3 million, compared with £350.1 million last year.

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