SPONSORED CONTENT

DEAD animals, knickers and false teeth…a North-East water company has unveiled some of the scariest things that its workers have fished out of the drains.

Northumbrian Water is urging people to exercise good drain care, and think carefully about what they flush or wash away, to avoid blocked pipes coming back to haunt them.

Last year, around 13,000 blockages had to be cleared, made up of things wrongly put down the drains. They can create nightmares for customers and lead to flooding in people′s homes.

Among the most frightening things found by water workers was a dead python, and a red-bellied piranha, both suspected to be unwanted pets flushed away after they had died.

Other weird things have included false teeth, knickers, boxers, toothbrushes and a hammer.

In 2007 a bra, which was found blocking a sewer in Teesside, actually caused so much damage the sewer collapsed.

And ever wondered where those missing socks end up? Just this week, a matching pair of pink socks mysteriously turned up, stuck in a sewage pumping station in County Durham.

The scariest part is that most of the obstructions in the pipes are caused by everyday items like wet wipes, fats and greases.

It costs the water company nearly £400,000 every year, sending wipes, sanitary towels and cotton buds to landfill, where the items should have gone in the first place.

Northumbrian Water′s Wastewater Director, Richard Warneford, said: "Blocked drains are a costly nightmare and there′s a lot at stake if we don′t look after them properly.

"It′s frightening how much damage things like wet wipes and greasy liquids can cause to our networks, customers’ homes, and the environment. Wet wipes don′t break down like toilet paper, and can clog up the system, while fats congeal and harden in pipes like a concrete.

"To avoid the problems of blockages in the future, there′s a simple trick…only flush toilet paper, pee and poo. Everything else goes in the bin."

Click on Love Your Drain for more information, and to register for a free family baking kit – helping to make baking easier and keep the pipes clear.