A blocked drain is causing a Ledbury cul-de-sac to flood every time there is heavy rain.

And when the sun comes out, the smell of the stagnant water fills the street.

Residents in Fairfields Road feel they are going in circles trying to get the problem fixed.

John Powell said the problem has been going on for months.

“It happens every time there is a heavy storm,” he said.

“The matter has been reported to Herefordshire Council many times but they take no notice, they say it is not their responsibility, it is Balfour Beatty who are responsible for drainage problems.

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“They have also been contacted, they say contact the environmental department because there is a potential health and safety if there has been sewage tank leak.

“They have been contacted but still the problem remains. When the weather is very warm the stagnant water in the drain stinks and often flows out into the road so people have to wade through it.”

The smell means Mr Powell isn’t exactly looking forward to the return of warmer weather.

“It’d be nice to sit out on the patio but it stinks out there,” he said.

“It gets on your shoes and everything.

“I’m just fed up - it feels like the council is ignoring us. If this was outside the council house it would be fixed straight away, but we’re just a little cul-de-sac in Ledbury so we get forgotten about.”

We have approached Herefordshire Council for comment.

The council has had a “public realm contract” with Balfour Beatty since 2013, which sees the contractor provide services for the county including highways, public rights of way, parks and open spaces, street cleaning and street lighting.

The procurement of that contract set out a number of objectives.

Among them was “ensuring our roads, public open spaces and streets are accessible, safe, clean and well-maintained”.