THOUSANDS of motorists were caught up in traffic misery during this morning's rush-hour, after a burst water main forced police to close one of the primary routes linking Purbeck to the conurbation.

The normally busy A351 Sandford Road was closed in both directions after the main burst near the entrance of Wareham Golf Club just before 6am.

It only re-opened at around 8pm, with traffic being diverted out to Bere Regis and onto the A35 until the road was clear.

Frustrated drivers reported delays of over an hour just to complete their journeys into the conurbation.

Meanwhile, around 200 properties in Wareham were also left without water supplies throughout the morning.

One driver told the Echo: “When we had the worst of the snow earlier this year my journey from Weymouth to Bournemouth took two-and-a-half-hours, yesterday it took about two hours 15 minutes.

“It was pretty bad, but there was not a whole lot you could do though really.

“We were diverted from Wareham along Bere Road and it was just stop, start for 45 minutes”

The A351 was closed between Sandford Road and Morden Road.

Dorset Police, who deployed officers to control traffic, said they were called at 5.47am.

Motorists were advised to use alternative routes.

A Wessex Water spokesman said they had taken “a number of calls” about the burst water main.

The water company also confirmed supplies had to be restored to around 200 properties in the Northport Drive area of Wareham.

Engineers have been on site throughout the day, working to determine what had happened.

Shortly after the incident was reported, Wessex Water told the Daily Echo: “We have multiple teams of engineers on site and are working hard to carry out repairs as quickly as possible.

“We apologise to anyone affected by the burst for the disruption and inconvenience caused.”