Luton gardens flooded by 'mini-river of sewage'

One resident said "faeces and tissue were pouring out of the drains"

Residents are concerned for their children's safety after a "mini-river of sewage" flooded their gardens.

People living on Barn Owl Close, Luton, said the deluge carried on for several hours until Thames Water was able to stop it.

The housing association, Stonewater Housing, said they are investigating the cause of the problem.

A Thames Water spokesperson revealed the "external flooding was caused by a blockage".

Parent Natasha Dennie said the houses were surrounded six inches of raw sewage on Saturday afternoon and several residents immediately reported it to the housing association.

"There was faeces and tissue and muck pouring out of the drains," she said.

"Even when my children were drinking bottled water my children said they could taste poo because it was just in our noses.

"I had to get my children to go to my mum's as they started feeling ill."

• Listen: Residents react to a 'river of sewage'

Stacy Gordon said she heard bubbling noises coming from her downstairs toilet.

"When I came outside the smell got even more potent and I realised there was a mini-river of sewage running down the street," she said.

She said the smell was "unbearable" and is still using bottled water out of concern for the safety of her children.

Ms Gordon believes the street has been "let down by the housing association" who she believes did not react quickly enough.

Thames Water said they have now cleaned up the waste an disinfected the area.

Thames Water said: "Our engineers used jets to clear the blockage, restoring our sewage pipes to normal working order and stopping the flooding.

"Our team completed a clean-up, which consists of disinfecting affected areas, removing waste and washing down areas with water."

The water company said the flooding was caused by "sewage misuse" from residents disposing of oil and grease in their drains.

It said: "It's important that customers only flush the three p's; pee, poo and paper in order to prevent blockages."  

Multiple residents made calls to the housing association after the flooding began on Saturday

A statement from Stonewater Housing said it is "really sorry that customers in Barn Owl Close have been affected by a sewage overflow over the weekend".

It added: "A specialist team will be organising to thoroughly clean the area and in the meantime we will make contact with all the households to discuss any support they may need."

Luton Borough Council said it was "sorry to hear about the sewage leak" on Barn Owl Close.

It said if the mess remains on Tuesday morning they are "committed to sending a team over to remove the waste from the street as soon as possible".