An “angry” pig forced workmen to abandon the burst water main they were fixing and flee after they were attacked.
The hog, named Pickle and believed to be a pet, charged at the engineers after finding them in his field on Wednesday.
He then stood guarding the damaged valve and had to be coaxed away by a packet of crisps.
The pipe burst in Surbiton, southwest London, causing damage to nearby railway equipment and delays to train services.
A Thames Water spokesperson said their efforts to reach a valve to cut the water were hindered by “a large pig” which was “acting aggressively”.
They added: “We’re sorry to anyone who has had a longer journey than normal because of the road closure.
“This is due to a burst on a 48-inch diameter pipe.
“Our engineers were quickly on site and are working hard to fix the pipe.”
The spokesperson added there would be no water outages for customers in the area or flooding to properties.
Additional reporting by SWNS.
