Great Barton couple claim ‘poor’ road and drain cleaning makes their home vulnerable to flooding

An elderly couple fear their property will be flooded again if nearby roads and drains are not cleaned.

Andrew and Anne-Marie Hill have seen their listed home in The Park, Great Barton, surrounded by filthy water three times and blame poor road and drain cleaning.

Anne-Marie said there were five drains at the bottom of The Park’s and two more on the A143, which last became blocked in November 2014, resulting in sewage rising towards their doors.

She blame leaves and debris from the road blocking the drain covers, which in the past they have tried to keep clear, but at 78 and having broken her hip, while her husband has had a stroke, they can no longer do that.

She said: “When we were flooded we had all the emergency services out and it had to be disinfected costing a huge amount of money for something that only takes normal maintenance cleaning.

“The drains weren’t put there to look pretty – they’re there because it floods.”

An Anglian Water spokeswoman said : “Since November 2014 we have CCTV surveyed the sewer on the junction with A143 to check the its condition. We used high-powered water jets to keep the sewer clear of blockages and debris.”#

As planned maintenance they will also be jetting the sewer nearby this weekend.

St Edmundsbury Borough Council said the A143 was last swept in October and is done on a 10 week cycle.

Suffolk County Council said The Park was a private road so not its responsibility.