Sewage floods into basement

RAW sewage flooded the cellars of a row of Ipswich town centre shops today as the rain lashed down this morning.

The foul stench inside the Francesco Hair Salon in St Matthew's Street was getting unbearable as the effluent seeping in from the main sewer reached a depth of more than four inches.

Franco Delellio, owner of the business, said: "The flooding has been going on for a month and it is ruining my business. I can't carry on like this, it's unhygienic and it stinks. I will have to close up and lose business when the smell gets too bad."

But Mr Delellio is not the only victim.

The adjoining shop, Jay C Homes, is also more than ankle deep in the pungent effluent

Salesman James Cox said: "Every time it happens to Franco it happens to us as well. The smell is awful."

Other neighbouring premises were also said to be affected.

The problem is thought to have become worse with increased amounts of fat and grease entering the sewer which is thought to be blocking the pipes, causing the leak.

Mr Delellio added: "I can't relax and I can't sleep through worrying about what state the shop will be in if has rained.

"The main sewer in the street is blocked and when more water flows in it floods straight into my cellar.

"Anglian Water come out and use a machine to pump out the water but they don't have a solution. They need to attack the drains to solve the problem."

A spokeswoman for Anglian Water said: "About a month ago rain caused flooding into the cellars. We found a blockage in the main sewer. We helped the owners clear up and treated the sewer with a jet. We thought we resolved the problem and are incredibly sorry flooding is still happening. We are taking it seriously.

"We are helping the owners to clean up again and jetting the main sewer again and will also us CCTV to find the problem in the sewer and resolve it.

"Anyone affected is advised to get their insurer to liase with our insurer who will help them out."