Kent woman who uses baths to sooth fibromyalgia pain left without water after Swanscombe landslip

A woman who uses hot baths to sooth pain caused by a long-term condition has been left without water following a major landslip in Kent.

Danielle Nixon lives in Swanscombe and has been impacted by the fall on the A226 Galley Hill Road last Monday. (10 April)

The landslip wreaked havoc with the water and internet supply for hundreds of homes and businesses.

Danielle says it's been "stressful" with the lack of water and internet impacting her health conditions.

She said: "I suffer with fibromyalgia so I need to have hot baths to sooth the pain.

"Without the hot water or water running at all, I'm not able to do that which proves difficult for me and doesn't help with the pain I'm in.

"When I'm laying in a bath I can have special salts put in the bath which just help my muscles relax so then my bones just don't hurt as much.

"Sometimes I have to have four or five baths a day to be able to have a pain free hour."

She added: "It's important to be able to have access to that so I can try and live as much of a life I can with the pain I'm in."

Danielle also has diabetes and uses a sensor on a phone app so she doesn't have to finger prick to get her blood glucose levels.

However, she says she is unable to use the sensor without the internet.

Using finger pricking, she says, elevates her fibromyalgia pain.

Thames Water says 546 properties are being supplied water by tankers which will continue to supply affected customers until a long-term solution is put in place.

A spokesperson for Thames Water added: "We are responding to customer contacts regarding issues with their water supply and we're sorry for any disruption they are experiencing.

"Should any properties be experiencing issues with their water supply please could they contact Thames Water on 0800 316 9800 for this to be investigated. In respect to broadband services, providers have been made aware of this and are investigating."

They continued: "We've been made aware of customers who need extra support and have had customer representatives contact them directly.

"We ask customers who may need extra support during supply interruptions and are not on our priority services register to contact us as they may benefit from being signed up to this service."