ONE of Ipswich's oldest pubs is at constant risk of flooding because of a blunder by officials, a landlord claimed today.

ONE of Ipswich's oldest pubs is at constant risk of flooding because of a blunder by officials, a landlord claimed today.

Rainwater is seeping into The Old Bell, in Stoke Street, after Ipswich Borough Council installed a dropped kerb outside.

When rain falls and the nearby drain overflows, water is sent gushing into the pub.

The problem worsened earlier this month when Suffolk was hit by heavy downpours.

Pub boss Carol Thompson said: “The pub is prone to flooding anyway, but now the council has widened the road and dropped the kerb near to where the drain is, it's much worse.

“We had no contact from the council to say the work was going to be done. They didn't ask us what we thought.

“People are getting soaked as they walk past too, with cars splashing the puddles all over them.

“I don't know what will happen but something needs to be done.”

She said that there was not even a need for the dropped kerb because it is not a pedestrian crossing point.

As an emergency measure, the council has dumped sand bags outside.

However, a spokesman said the problem was not linked to the dropped kerb.

He added: “We are working with Anglian Water to address the issue. The flooding is being caused by a problem with the public sewer and not as a result of the installation of the dropped kerb.”

What do you think about the problem? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk