A closed-circuit television camera will be used to investigate pipes at an underground watercourse to stop the flooding of Colchester gardens.

But one householder is asking for £100 compensation from the borough council, which wants to put a camera down a manhole in his garden to check out the pipes carrying Porters Brook.

After years of problems, and pressure from residents, the council is working to sort out the problem and wants to use the cameras to detect blockages, cracks and tree roots.

Now the borough may serve a notice on the resident under the Land Drainage Act to gain entry.

The pipe passes through back gardens between Booth Avenue and Weggs Willow, off St Andrew's Avenue, and the brook continues as an open stream up to Ipswich Road.

Tony Baker, of Weggs Willow, says the council has acted in a "heavy-handed" way.

He said: "I have got to be there because it's in my shed, it's unreasonable. If they had approached me in the right manner, then it might be possible."

He says putting cameras down his manhole cover will not solve anything as the problems are further up and down stream, which he has told the council.

But councillor Terry Sutton, portfolio holder for environment and transport, said the council had a legal right to gain access to the manhole.

He has decided a notice of entry should be served on Mr Baker so experts could carry out a detailed survey of the watercourse. Other councillors have until the end of the week to object.

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