Neighbours shocked as sewage bubbled up out of toilets during flash flooding

The sudden heavy rain on Friday evening put parts of the town underwater as drains failed to function properly.

One drain behind Birch Street could not cope with the sudden deluge and overflowed, sending waste downhill into people's back gardens or bubbling up into toilets and showers.

Helen Mansell is speaking out after this drain overflowed into houses on Birch Street (Image: Newsquest)

Helen Mansell noticed water seeping in through the dining room wall and the back door of her partner's property. This brought back terrible memories of severe flooding in Swindon in 2007 which made her home in Covingham uninhabitable.

She told the Adver: "Back then, the water was up to my waist, I lost all my furniture and lived out of black bags for a while. So I'm all too aware of the damage flash floods can cause.

"It's happened on Birch Street a few times. The kitchen floor is ruined, I've had to throw out a few rugs and there's a terrible smell.

"Thames Water came on Saturday and said the drains were flowing well but have a lot of stones in them, so they will come back to clear that out.

"But who knows what damage has been done in the walls and under the houses. They need to get this sorted, something needs to be done for the people on this street. Any heavy rain is frightening now."

Paul Hitchcock's house flooded (Image: From public)

Paul Hitchcock has to rip up and replace his new £4,500 carpeting in the living room and front hall after the latest flooding, which caused similar damage to his Birch Street home in '07.

He said: "It's caused mayhem, I'm very annoyed. I came home from work and the floor was sodden. I've had to cancel work over the weekend to clean and spend hours on the phone sorting this out with my insurance.

Floodwater and sewage ruined the carpet (Image: From public)

"I'm a pipework engineer and I don't think the drain pipes are big enough to cope with flash floods. Nothing's changed in 15 years.

"I pay my water rates, so I expect this to not happen, it's not our fault."

A tenant in another house on the same street, who gave his name as Will, spent hours cleaning filth off the kitchen and living room floor with his wife while keeping their young son and two dogs away from the mess.

The water seeped in through the back door of Will's house, and his shower drain (Image: From public)

He said: "It was disgusting, it stank, the floor was warped and grimy, and part of the kitchen wall came off.

"The drain near the garden stopped sucking water down so it just went everywhere, then half an hour later it started working again.

"The back door was shut but water still came in and spread all the way to the front door.

"My wife and son were worried the water would be dangerous with the electrics so they waited outside in the rain until I came home from work.

"My son's toy box is ruined, and a lot of little things need to be fully cleaned and disinfected, if they can be saved at all.

"It's horrible."

Water fills the kitchen and bathroom, and damaged a wall (Image: From public)

After the rain eased, the Met Office issued a weather warning for thunderstorms and more downpours drenched Swindon on Sunday.

Thames Water has been approached for comment.