RESIDENTS have been kicking up a stink after an underpass flooded this week.
The recent wet weather has caused a sewer near the Coate Water underpass to flood, spilling water and raw sewage out over the pathways.
The problem was so bad that one of the underpass passages was filled with water 5ft deep, making it impossible to get through.
Once the waters subsided walkers were greeted by the sight of used toilet paper and sludge which smelled.
Mother-of-three Sian Carley, 23, said that the subway had flooded on five occasions in the last six months.
She said: “Both the subways under Marlborough Road and Queen’s Drive have been flooded.
“It means that you have to cross two main roads, and there is no crossing point at Queen’s Drive, which, when you have three children, makes you panic.
“It absolutely stinks and there is toilet paper and rubbish left when the water subsides which is not nice to walk through.
“I have lived here for six months and it has flooded about five times since then.
“I have spoken to the council and Thames Water but nothing has been done about it.”
Coun Derique Montaut (Lab, Liden, Eldene and Park South) said that something needed to be done quickly because it was creating an unnecessary danger.
He said: “There have been problems of not only flooding but vandalism at those subways which makes them unacceptable to walk through.
“It forces people to cross Queen’s Drive, which since the speed camera has been removed, is a fast road and it is dangerous to try and cross.
“Something needs to be done quickly to address the problem.”
A spokeswoman for Thames Water said they had been unaware of the problem.
“This is the first report we have had of sewer flooding under Marlborough Road but we have an engineer on his way to investigate what has caused this," she said.
Other areas in Swindon are also still feeling the effects of the recent wet weather.
Manor Hill, the road between Purton and Lydiard Millicent, still had more than a foot of water covering part of it near the Pear Tree Hotel yesterday.
Wiltshire councillor for Purton Jacqui Lay said: “The water is coming off the fields on to the road and then sits in a dip.
“The water then drains down to Purton Church and last week the fire brigade were at Church End twice pumping water away from housing, ending up having to close off the road as vehicles were sending the wash back into the houses.”
Rail services between Bristol and Swindon were also disrupted after a landslip near Bristol.
Network Rail engineers said earth had moved to within 1ft of rail sleepers at Westerleigh and had blocked services towards Bristol.
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