EMERGENCY services were alerted to a gas leak in Ipswich today.

The fire service and police officers were called at about 3.15pm to Bramford Road, close to the junction of Wallace Road, to reports residents digging in their front garden had hit a gas main.

Three crews from Princes Street fire station were sent to the scene.

Police officers set up a 200-metre cordon and told residents nearby to stay inside their homes.

By 3.50pm Transco, the gas company, had isolated the gas mains and the incident was brought under control.

A spokesman for Suffolk police said the incident had caused some disruption to traffic in the area, as the road was closed for about half-an-hour.