AN elaborate sleeve tattoo set to take six hours had to be abandoned halfway through because of a town centre power cut.

Red’s Tattoo Parlour was among a number of businesses in Colchester High Street affected.

Some lost power from 11am on Tuesday and closed early, costing them hundreds of pounds in trade.

The cause has been blamed on council work to install underground equipment for broadband and CCTV which is being undertaken in the town’s nearby Dutch Quarter.

Sonya Tristy, owner of Red’s Tattoo Parlour, lost power at 3.30pm.

She said: “I was mid-way through a six-hour tattoo, the lights go out, the computer loses power and my apprentice went down the stairs to check out if the other businesses were out.

“We spoke to the builders who confirmed it might be a couple of hours or more but they couldn’t tell us much more until they got to the cable.

“I had to wrap up my client, send him away.”

Sonya’s customer was having a large sleeve design created. The customer has re-booked so the job can be finished.

Sonya also had to cancel another customers.

“We closed up early and went for a milkshake.”

Neighbouring Mann’s Music was also affected.

George Marriott, department manager, said: “It didn’t come back on so we all shut up at 4.30pm - an hour early for us.

“Everything went out, we couldn’t do anything online.”

Power was back at the businesses first thing yesterday.

Engineers from UK Power Networks were called to fix the damaged cable which, they said, had been damaged by a third party..

A spokesman said: “Initially the problem affected power supplies to eight properties in the High Street area at midday, and at 3.15pm we had to turn off power for a further 17 areas for the repair to be carried out safely. All power supplies were restored by 6.42pm.”

Last Friday town centre businesses in Head Street were hit by a power cut.

The latest roadworks in West Stockwell Street by Essex County Council contractors are due to be completed by Monday.

A county council spokesman said: “Engineers are laying fibre optic cable for broadband on behalf of ColchesterCouncil.

“There were some issues around a damaged power cable but work has taken place to repair the cable.”

Colchester Council was contacted for a comment but did not respond by the time of going to press.