Tenant's misery at overflowing drains

Jean Weedon, 59, claimed water discharged from baths and washing machines bubbled up out of drains outside her ground-floor flat creating "an awful stench".

She said she was forced to keep her windows shut to keep the smell out '“ a problem on warmer days in particular.

Jean suffered the effect of the drains overflowing twice in 11 days and said the problem was making her feel ill as well as driving her to tears. She suffers from Crohn's Disease and diabetes, so is not in the best of health. She is a tenant of Hyde Housing Association and has lived in the one-bedroom flat since August.

She commented: "The stench is awful. The water is coming up through three drains on the patio outside my flat.

"The smell in here sometimes is terrible.

"It's clear now until the next time... it will go again '“ trust me, it will go again.

"Hyde doesn't seem to take notice, they just tell me these things happen.

"It is making me ill. Every morning when I get up I think it is going to come up again.

"You have always got to have someone to get something done. But when you are on your own like I am you have no-one else to help you. I was in tears."

A spokesman for Hyde Housing explained the drainage system at Baird Court was pump-assisted and that the pump system had failed because items such as towels, wipes and sanitary towels had been disposed of into the system.

"This causes the pump to stop working and there is a build-up of drainage matter which can cause drains and inspection chambers to overflow. This is what happened in Ms Weedon's case, as there is a drainageinspection chamber outside her home."

She said the problem had been rectified the same day as reported to customer services and added that Miss Weedon had confirmed the drains were now working properly.

"An urgent works order has been raised to have the area around her patio sanitised. This will be carried out today or tomorrow. The managing agent will also send a letter to all residents asking them not to place foreign objects in the drainage system."