Profits watered down at Thames

Thames Water has blamed the “Beast from the East” storm and the summer heatwave for a surge in water leaks and supply disruption as it reported a plunge in half-year profits.

The firm said 75,000 customers saw their supply hit during the freezing cold weather in March as pipes burst, whiletheprolongedhot summer weather compounded woes. Pre-tax profits fell 69 per cent.