THOUSANDS of Brits have been hit by a mass water shortage with families "panic buying" water as schools were forced to close their doors.

       Thames Water have said that a number of homes and schools in west and southwest London have been left with low pressure or without water.

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       A Thames Water problem has seen thousands hit by a water shortage Credit: Getty 3

       These are the areas affected by the shortage 3

       Sheen Mount Primary School is one school which has been forced to shut Credit: Google

       The firm said the problem had been caused by a huge power supply issue that hit Ashford and Hampton water treatment works in west London.

       The chaos has seen thousands of parents and children who have just returned from the summer holidays start the morning with little to no water.

       A Thames Water spokesperson has said that power is back at the water treatment sites and customers can expect water supply to "return across the day".

       Tankers will be sent "as a precaution" to affected areas to "support local hospitals and critical infrastructure".

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       Locals in affected areas have reported not having a water supply since 7am and blasted the company for not having an adequate back-up system.

       And some concerned residents have also reported people "panic buying water" from shops.

       One tweeted: "People are also panic buying water from the supermarkets.

       "I am heavily pregnant and with a two year old. We have no water at all."

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       Meanwhile, Adam Jacobs, 43, from southwest London, told Sky News he had to rush to the shops for bottled water to ensure he has enough for his seven-month-old baby.

       He said: "When I got there, they were running out of bottled water, people were panic-buying.

       "I don't have a car, but I knew I could run to the shops. If this goes on for the day then there is a serious problem."

       Schools were also forced to close their doors after the supply chaos hit over 30 postcodes in the capital.

       Some have already initiated remote learning with the power problems forcing head teachers to decide that buildings will not open today.

       Worried parents and grandparents took to social media to inform others of the last-minute changes as the morning chaos unfolded.

       Vineyard School in Richmond was among schools telling parents to collect their children.

       Sheen Mount Primary School in West London is another school which has been confirmed to have closed.

       St Richards Reynolds College in West London is shutting their doors from 10.30am because of the ongoing "water issues".

       And Kenyngton Manor Primary School was also reported to have closed thanks to the supply problems.

       However, some schools have luckily been unaffected by the water chaos.

       Hampton High have confirmed online that they still have water and will update parents, staff, and children if they plan to close their doors.

       Munira Wilson, the MP for Twickenham in south west London, said she is “alarmed” that some schools in her area have been forced to close and urged Thames Water to “sort this soon”.

       Thames Water said: "We're working hard to fix the issue and to get things back to normal.

       "We'll provide further updates here as soon as we have more information."

       Initially Thames Water stated households in more than 50 postcodes had no water or low pressure.

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       But that list was later revised to 35 areas mainly concentrated across South West and West London. Schools in Twickenham and Richmond were among the first to confirm they will shut.

       The following postcodes are affected according to the water company: CR4, E5, E8, EC1V, KT1, KT2, KT3, KT8, HA0, N1, N15, N16, N17, NW1, NW2, NW10, SE1, SE11, SE16, SE17, SW4, SW8, SW9, SW13, SW14, SW15, SW18, SW19, TW4, TW5, TW7, TW8, TW10, TW11, TW12, TW14, TW17, UB1, UB2, UB6, W1H, W1H, W1M, W1N, W2, W3, W4, W6, W7, W10, W12, W13, W14.