Many houses have been evacuated since Saturday morning. Bedford Borough Council said it had found accommodation for around 25 families, while others were believed to be staying with family or friends.

The statement said a cordon remained in place “for the safety of the public and the ability to carry out operations.”

Houses outside the cordon on Glenrose Avenue and Wagstaff Close were also evacuated as they were accessible from within the cordon.

“The effectiveness of this cordon is under constant review,” he added.

Residents were allowed to collect some essential items from Thursday but only in a “controlled and supervised manner”.

Ian Simpson, who lives in the cordon, said he did not enter his home on the afternoon of Saturday, October 19, and that he now lives with his mother-in-law and has a small number of items they took when they left.

He said that he did not see the incident coming, felt uneasy, and felt as if he were living in a television series.

“The thought that your next-door neighbor might be drilling up to 120 meters (394 ft) for a ground source heat pump is truly scary.”

He said he wanted to make sure better regulations and controls were needed.

The council said it was offering support, including financial assistance, to affected residents and had established an advice and support center and a dedicated 24-hour emergency helpline.

It added that it continues to monitor the situation and “manage all risks”.

It is unknown how long the cord will remain there, but it could be several weeks.