The blackout happened abruptly, with no prior warning. Many residents reported:
The atmosphere was noticeably quiet, with only a few homes that had battery-powered lanterns or backup lights visible in the darkness.
As of now, the exact cause hasn’t been confirmed, but typical reasons for such outages may include:
Residents described the outage as "completely out of nowhere," suggesting it was not part of scheduled maintenance.
Despite the disruption, many people handled the situation calmly. Some households gathered in living rooms using:
Neighbours checked on each other, especially elderly or vulnerable residents. The darkness also meant many people stepped outside to talk, enjoy the unusually quiet streets, or simply wait for updates.
During the outage, UK Power Networks dispatched mobile generators to support the area. These units were sent out to help stabilise supply and reduce the duration of the blackout, although the situation was resolved before full generator power was needed. Their rapid response reassured many residents that the issue was being actively managed.
The timing made the outage particularly inconvenient:
The blackout also caused a noticeable drop in mobile data speeds, likely due to network congestion.
Relief came shortly after midnight when the power switched back on at around 00:35. Lights, heating, and devices rebooted instantly, and the neighbourhood quickly returned to normal.
Many residents took to social media soon after, sharing their experiences and asking for updates from local authorities and energy providers.
Events like this remind us how dependent we are on electricity — and how important it is to be prepared. Here are a few simple tips:
A little preparation goes a long way when the unexpected happens.
Last night’s sudden power cut was a disruption for many, but it also showed the strength of local community spirit. Whether checking on neighbours or sharing updates, residents handled the situation well until power was restored. With UK Power Networks responding quickly and deploying mobile generators, the outage was resolved smoothly — but it’s a reminder of how important resilience and preparedness are in modern daily life.