Water company argues that its favoured offer should be approved or it will face temporary nationalisation

A group of investors has accused Thames Water of putting “a gun to the head” of London’s high court by threatening to go into temporary nationalisation if it does not receive approval for a rival £3bn debt offer.

The court on Monday heard the first day of arguments deciding between two rival plans to lend emergency cash to Thames Water, Britain’s biggest water company. Thames provides water and sewerage services to nearly a quarter of the UK population in London and south-east England.