A HOMEOWNER says he is sick of condoms and effluent being strewn across his back garden whenever there is heavy rainfall.

James Wilkinson was again left powerless to stop drains overflowing and flooding his land when stormy weather hit the region on Monday.

The flooding is bad enough, said the 46-year-old - but what is left behind is sometimes even worse.

"There's effluent, rubbish, condoms, paper and mud," he said. "Every time the rain comes, I've got to call people out to clean up."

Mr Wilkinson has lived in Philip Avenue, Bowburn, near Durham City, since 1986, but says the flooding has happened more often recently.

He blames a recently-completed housing development and fears the problem will worsen when a further estate is built nearby.

"My property has suffered for 20 years. It used to happen about four times a year, but it's more often now."

However, Richard Bass, managing director of Haslam Homes North-East - the company responsible for both housing projects - said: "I believe the old combined surface water and foul water sewerage system in this part of Bowburn has caused periodic problems for some time.

"As a result, the new homes which have been built, and those currently under construction, all benefit from new and separate sewerage systems which have been inspected and approved by Northumbrian Water.

"It was hoped this would take some pressure off the old system, as a number of properties which it used to serve have now been demolished."

Cara Hall, of Northumbrian Water, said the company appreciated flooding was not pleasant and acknowledged that Mr Wilkinson has had external flooding at his property.

She said staff had cleared the blocked sewer on Monday and cleaned up the area.

"The next step is we will be carrying out a CCTV survey of the section of sewer that serves Mr Wilkinson's property and the results of that will determine what the next course of action will be."

Ms Hall said a lot of grease and fat had been found in the system and advised Northumbrian Water customers to put these materials in bins, rather than down the drain.

Last summer, Bowburn Community Centre, in Durham Road, was flooded, leaving the main hall and dance floor under water.