A Brentwood woman whose home is under siege by floods during heavy rainfall says she is waiting with bated breath to see if new drains will solve the problem.

Now Suzan Hearson, of Costead Manor Road, says she intends to present Brentwood Council with a bill for around £15,000, for the damage to the garage and outside of her home.

The installation of two new gulleys outside her house at the weekend followed a war of words between the council and Thames Water over who bore responsibility for the problem.

Miss Hearson, 41, was so desperate she put more than 50 sandbags in her front drive which, she says, "made it look like a World War I battle zone."

"I have only been living there since the beginning of the year, but my neighbours tell me it has been happening for nine years now," she said.

"It is just not on, and I am very unhappy. However, if these new drains resolve the problem I will be ecstatic. Now I am just waiting for it to rain. I have a bottle of champagne ready and I'm waiting with bated breath."

She added: "Brentwood Council will have an enormous bill for damages. All I want is my home as it was before it got wet. If it wants a battle I will take it to court. I have no complaint against the council providing it pays me damages. But if it doesn't I will be very upset."

The council's assistant chief executive, Andy Stroulger, claimed that Thames Water had investigated the problem and agreed to improve the drains in its programme for 2001-2, but was now going back on that commitment.

He added: "The drains needed this improvement in capacity to cope with the flow of water. Miss Hearson was rightly upset.

"For years, it was Thames Water's problem, by its own admission. Having heard that it was now adopting this position, we are pursuing that at the highest level with Thames Water.

"It is an awfully difficult process, and it is by no means the only site in the borough to suffer these problems.

"As for damages, that is a matter for our insurance company when it receives the claim."

A Thames Water spokesman said: "We have seen the customer and we are taking her concerns seriously. We've written to Brentwood Council to indicate our view that it is a highways' problem. We believe it is the responsibility of Brentwood Council."

(Right) UNDER SIEGE: Suzan Hearson outside her home with the sandbags that made it look like a "World War I battle zone."

(Left) FLOOD ZONE: Suzan's drive after recent heavy rainfall - before new drains were fitted.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.