APPALLED residents have criticised the council for allowing raw sewage to run down their street, despite several complaints.

Soiled toilet paper and human waste can be seen strewn across Bridge Street in Cowshill, Weardale.

An underground sewerage pipe was broken more than a year ago and is yet to been fixed.

Northumbrian Water have confirmed the pipe was damaged by the installation of a council highway drain.

Local resident Sue Tallentire said: “There have been numerous issues here for at least a year now, but when you see raw sewage and toilet paper running down the road you know something really isn’t right.

“The new water pipe has gone straight through the sewerage pipe, which is now easily blocked and backs up, spilling out onto the road. It’s happened at least four times and the smell is unbearable.”

Councillor John Shuttleworth added: “Engineers have been on site several times on a weekend and the problem still hasn’t been put right.

“Somebody hasn’t checked properly before installing an 18inch pipe underground, it’s taken this long to realise that it’s smashed straight through the sewerage pipe. It’s total incompetence.”

The drain leaking the raw sewage is little more than a few feet from the houses on Bridge Street, just off the A689.

Engineers were on site last week when the road was dug up to reveal the true extent of the damage.

Mrs Tallentire added: “For the people who live in the houses closest to the drains it’s just terrible.

“It seems as though the council doesn’t care that this is going on, somebody is responsible, it’s their job and they aren’t doing it.”

Cllr Shuttleworth said: “There should have been a survey carried out before any work was done, this would have shown where the sewerage pipe was and this could have been avoided.”

A spokesman for Northumbrian Water said: “Durham County Council will be on site tomorrow to carry out a repair to Northumbrian Water’s sewer.

“After carrying out investigations, it was discovered the sewer was damaged by the installation of a council highway drain.”

Durham County Council declined to comment.