BLOCKED drains and gullies in Hurworth which villagers claim to be the root of flooding problems, could soon be sorted out.

Whenever heavy rain is forecast, residents know they will see water flowing down the roads, deep puddles outside their homes and parts of the village green turned into a lake.

In extreme cases some know they also run the risk of having their homes flooded out.

But this week, following complaints raised at the parish meeting, Darlington council promised to get on top of the situation.

The problem, which has been going on for a number of years, remains, despite experts investigating the situation.

The answer according to local councillors and residents, however, is simple.

"If the borough council looked at all the grates at the sides of the roads they would see that many are totally blocked," Coun Peter Foster told Tuesday's parish meeting.

"All they need to do is send someone down them with a shovel to get out all the silt which has hardened over the years.

"There is no way the water can get away while the access to the drains remains blocked."

Coun Dave Bell agreed and said: "Yesterday the drains were blocked again in the west end and the green was flooded. The situation is dragging on like the Forsyte Saga.

"A year ago, when I moved to the village, people were talking about it now here we are again still trying to sort it out.

"Someone must have statutory responsibility for this."

Coun Foster also told members that two cottages near to the Otter and Fish pub had flooded following Monday's downpour.

"The east end has at least four grates which are blocked with silt," he added. "One of them even had a small tree growing from it which I have now removed.

"The borough council needs a whole programme setting up to look at all the grates in the town and villages and to clean them out if needed."

Coun Ian Black believed the disappearance of a Victorian culvert near Roundhill Road had a lot to do with the problem.

He said: "The culvert was smashed in four or five years ago by Northumbrian Water and many believe water was taken away from the Glebe by this.

"We don't know if this has been by passed now or filled in, but I'm sure this is part of the problem."

A decision over who is responsible for the inefficient drainage system is currently being thrashed out between Northumbrian Water and the borough council.

Terry Collins, the council's assistant director of environmental services, told the D&S Times: "I will talk to Coun Foster and other people in the local authority as well as involved agencies to get to the bottom of this problem."