Water Chief fights off resignation calls in the North

The North's under-fire water authorities have fought off resignation calls over the crisis in water supplies.

Senior figures from Northern Ireland Water (NIW) emerged from a special board meeting to say their priority was to fix the leaks that have crippled the supply system.

They said 4,400 homes have been without water since Monday but they pledged to step up efforts to end the crisis.

Interim chairman Padraic White said chief executive Laurence MacKenzie had not resigned, despite growing pressure, but he said a fully independent review of the episode should take place.

Mr White said the immediate focus was on restoring supplies: “It is easy to create a frenzy but it is not helpful.”