A war of words has broken out over a blocked ditch which is causing a chicken farmer's field to flood.
Bill Brown, who owns the farm in Thorpe Road, Little Clacton, says the ditch in Holland Road which runs beside his land is not draining because it is used as a dumping ground for rubbish.
He claims Tendring Council should do the work, but the council says it is down to Mr Brown himself to take action.
Mr Brown said: "It's an absolute nightmare, the water was right up to our back door. It's been going on for years and I pay all those rates and nothing is done."
He recently hired a digger and spent 15 hours clearing drainage ditches - which were on his land - in a bid to reduce the water levels.
But he is adamant he should not have to do the work on the blocked ditch which is outside his boundary.
He said: "I had to dig the ditches all over my property to find a place for the water to go and the cause of the problem isn't even on my land."
Mike Page, Tendring Council's public relations manager, said that the location fell within the area covered by Essex County Council and not his authority.
"But in any event the ditches are the responsibility of the land owner himself," he added.
Mr Brown said that he has now contacted the Environment Agency to come and inspect the ditch and decide what should be done
Published Wednesday, January 8, 2003
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