By GEMMA BROWN gemma.brown@hexham-courant.co.uk

Last updated 13:41, Thursday, 02 October 2008

RESIDENTS in Corbridge fear the village’s sewerage system is struggling to cope after a green was left covered in raw sewage.

Following the recent floods, residents of Well Bank were horrified when water containing excrement and sanitary products, was washed on to the green outside their homes.

And after the flood waters receded, not only did it uncover the extent of the debris which had been left behind, but two manholes were also left without covers and residents have since been forced to put up with a foul smell.

Well Bank resident Graham Curry brought the matter to the attention of Corbridge Parish Council at its latest meeting.

He believes a combination of increased demand and blocked road gullies may have contributed to the problem, which he says has left the village green contaminated.

Mr Curry explained: “There is a combined sewage overflow tank at the bottom of the green and it seems to me that there is more sewage coming in than is able to be dealt with. Every bit of sewage generated in the village seems to come down to that point.

“Once the tank reaches a certain level it overflows and runs into the river. But when the river is in flood it has nowhere to go, so it floods out onto the green.

“If the road gullies had been clear, it may have been able to drain away much quicker than it did, but residents have been particularly concerned because at the time of the floods children were out plodging in the water not realising what it contained.”

Northumberland County councillor for Corbridge, Coun. Jean Fearon, was also present at the parish council meeting and explained that the council had a team which worked on a continual cycle of gully cleaning covering the county.

The Courant reported in August last year that periods of heavy rain left residents facing the prospect that sewage – which can be seen coming out of a pipe that vents into the River Tyne near the bottom of Well Bank – may be washed up outside their homes.

And although the pipe concerned is part of a system designed to drain away surface water, in times of heavy rain, raw sewage overflows into it as well.

Since then, Northumbrian Water has carried out work in an attempt to improve water quality in Corbridge, which included installing screens at Well Bank to separate sewage from excess water. But residents believe this had made little difference.

A spokesman for Northumbrian Water confirmed that the missing manhole covers had been replaced and a clean-up would be carried out at the site if necessary.

“We believe the improvements to the sewer network which have been carried out already are having a positive environmental impact.

“The incident in September was possibly due to a blockage and we are working with an external consultant to establish whether there are any further issues with this section.”