Couple plead for action to stop flooding

An elderly couple whose home and garden have been repeatedly flooded claim a utility company has failed to tackle the problem.

Michael and Mary Champion, both 71, have been forced to live in a single room of their house in Glasshoughton after water poured into the property during rain in August.

The latest incident was one of 15 occasions in the past two years when their home or garden on Manor View has flooded.

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Mr Champion said sewage frequently poured out of the drains when it rained after new homes were built nearby two years ago.

The couple have spent around £3,500 on flood protection to keep their home dry.

Mr Champion said: “We will have been here 28 years this year. We’ve had the house from brand new. We had some flooding in the past but nothing like this.

“I don’t think we are going to have much choice but to walk away from this house. We are both in our 70s. The house is all paid for and we should be having an easy time.

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“In the past two years we’ve only been in the house six months because it happened before, in August 2014, and then we had three and a half feet of water in the house.

“The fire brigade had to come and get us out because we couldn’t get the front door open.”

Mr Champion said the couple had complained to Ofwat, the water industry regulator, about the flooding.

He said: “The drains are not big enough. Yorkshire Water are saying it’s because of very heavy rain. But if we get any rainfall it starts flooding. As soon as it rains the drains overflow and we have sewage coming up.”

Around a dozen nearby homes were also suffering from repeated flooding, Mr Champion said.

He added: “Yorkshire Water are a big company but they don’t seem to want to help.”

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