Anger over 'river of sewage' on Shropshire road

Children biked through the mess and dogs walked through it while drivers carried it through the housing estate on their tyres.

The problem brought a stench to the Fernhill area of Gobowen, close to the village playing fields. It is the latest problem to hit villagers who have collected a 100-name petition calling for action.

Resident Sarah Ford said last Autumn her three chickens had to be destroyed after they were found up to their necks after a drain burst.

She says she can't let her 15-month-old daughter play in the garden.

Sarah lives in West Place, but her garden – and the problem drain –backs onto Fernhill. She said: "The latest problems started a week last Saturday and then again on Thursday.

"The Severn Trent contractors came out on Thursday and on Friday they put cameras down the sewer and said the problem was cleared.

"But Saturday morning I went out for no more than an hour and when I came back someone came to the door and said the sewage was running all the way down the road that leads to the forest park on the way to the playing fields.

"Its becoming more of a problem to anyone that is using that road especially children.

"I have highlighted this to Severn Trent and environmental health but it just seems to fall on deaf ears.

"I can't let my daughter, Lilian, play in the garden. To have human faeces and all manner of other things in your garden is just horrendous."

Another resident, Matt Peate, said: "I am not directly effected by this but we shouldn't have to put up with sewage in our on our roads and being carried into the park.

"On Saturday the children were biking through it not realising what it was, it was collecting in a disgusting pool right outside the entrance to the playing fields."

Severn Trent Water spokeswoman Grace Marren said: "We've been out to West Place on several occasions to clear the sewer and clean up the local area.

"We used CCTV equipment to look down into the sewer and did find some tree roots, which we removed.

"We thought this had cleared the problem, but unfortunately the sewer blocked again at the weekend. We're now carrying out further investigations to find out what has caused the latest blockage.

"We're sorry to our customers in West Place, who are understandably frustrated that this keeps happening. We're visiting residents today to assure them that we're doing all we can to find out what keeps blocking the sewer pipe and get everything back to normal for them."