RAW sewage has been running down a village road for nearly four months, it was claimed this week.

Raymond Whitehead, who lives in Loveridge Lane, Tatworth, said sewage is overflowing from a drain and streaming down the road outside his house.

He claimed Somerset County Council and South-West Water are “passing the buck” and his partner has been ill because of the incident.

He told the News: “It’s terrible because if it rains a bit it floods across the front of the house – the smell’s horrendous.

“We want someone to come and clean it all up – it has not been pleasant and if it isn’t sorted soon when the weather warms up it will attract mosquitoes and the smell will be even worse.”

Mr Whitehead has lived in Loveridge Lane for 13 years and said he has contacted both authorities to sort out the matter, along with sending a letter to MP David Laws.

His partner, Christine Everett, said her breathing has not been good since the leak began.

She said: “I haven’t been able to open the windows for three months because of the smell.

“It’s terrible that we’ve had to put polythene and dust sheets down, and then we dispose of them every week or two because we’re walking it all into the house.”

A county council spokesman said the problem is thought to be linked to a privately owned septic tank.

He said: “We’re working closely with our partner agencies to investigate the problem.

“We’ll aim to resolve the matter as swiftly as possible and recover any costs.”

South-West Water said it has visited the area twice and found no evidence of sewage-related debris coming from the public sewerage.

It added: “Our crews did trace the source of the flooding to water run-off unable to enter a blocked highway gully, and as a result the stagnant water is giving off a sewage-like smell.”