HOUSES were left with human faeces floating across the floor after a flash flood overwhelmed a main sewer.
Properties in the Bathside area of Harwich were filled by the mess as torrential rain fell on Friday leading to raw sewage floating at ankle-level inside people’s homes.
Residents were seen scraping the human waste off their carpets and tiles throughout the weekend.
Martin Lindsay, 68, said his house in Ingestre Street filled with the murky black-coloured water.
He said the stench was “astronomical”.
Read more:
- REVEALED: Luxury jewellers set to take over old Oasis unit in high street
- Hotel owners appeal for help to trace brazen safe thieves
“The whole place was flooded up to my ankles with all kinds of horrible stuff,” he said.
“There were dollops of poo floating around and urine too. The water was black.
“By Saturday, the water had soaked through into the ground, leaving all the slurry still needing to be swept up.
“There were residents on the street on their hands and knees with a dustpan and brush getting all kinds of waste off their floor.
“Now the dampness still remains and the smell too, which is astronomical.”
Mr Lindsay has now called on Anglian Water to increase the frequency of its maintenance checks.
An anonymous resident said they understood the pump had been turned off for three months, although this is denied by Anglian Water.
Mr Lindsay added: “The blockage should have been picked up. If there were more frequent checks, then people wouldn’t have had to clean this horrible toilet mess out their houses.
“We had to roll up our sleeves and get on with it ourselves. We don’t want this to happen again and something has to be done.”
The torrential downpour also got through the roof of the Park Pavilion in Harwich - but didn’t deter the town’s bingo enthusiasts.
Alison Bareham, who was at Park Pavillion for a bingo night, said the water was running in through the top of the fire doors and dripping through the ceiling and lights, but the games went on.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here