A DISGRUNTLED resident is calling for action to solve a flooding problem that has blighted a street for years.

During heavy rain, gardens at the front of houses in Beverley Gardens, Chilton, suffer flooding.

The water is often mixed with raw sewage, which the residents say they have to clear themselves.

Kevin Loscombe said the problem has existed since before he moved into Beverley Gardens nine years ago.

He said: "Whenever it rains heavily here, the drains lift and we get raw sewage, sanitary towels and everything flowing outside our front doors. To be quite honest, the stench is horrendous and one of us always has to hose it down.

"I have got a 72-year-old neighbour on one side of me and he tries his best to swill it down."

Mr Loscombe has a letter from the former Sedgefield District Council dating from 1976, which describes a similar problem. The problem then was silt in the pipe, which was cleared, and the letter said the 9in main drain was marginally inadequate.

Mr Loscombe said the letter was proof of a long-standing problem, but said little had been done to solve it.

He said: "I have been in touch with everybody, but the council blames Northumbrian Water and Northumbrian Water blames the council."

Northumbrian Water and Sedgefield Borough Council denied passing the buck and said they were working together on the problem.

The difficulty is that parts of the system are the responsibility of different groups, including householders.

A Northumbrian Water spokeswoman said the company had recorded five instances in seven years when residents had phoned to complain about flooding, mostly during torrential rain.

She said: "Each time we have gone out to see the customer, checked the sewer and carried out a CCTV survey, and each time there has been no problem with the sewer.

"We have been working with the council and we are recommending that they check the highways gulleys.

"As far as we are aware, there is no problem with our sewer, but we will be carrying out another CCTV survey within the next couple of weeks because of the recent flooding to make sure there are no obstructions and everything is working."