RESIDENTS have hit out at Thames Water after sewage bubbled up in their road for almost two weeks.

People living in Evans Road, Eynsham, have been faced with the raw sewage coming up from a manhole in the road, and criticised Thames Water.

Where some of the houses are below the level of the road, sewage has been flowing into peoples’ gardens.

A spokesperson for the utility giant said in these instances, sewage has been cleaned from the gardens, or an offer to clean has been made.

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The problem stems from a collapsed sewer in Back Lane, meaning sewage was backing up through the pipe network, before spilling through a manhole in Evans Road, with that being the lowest point in the network.

Resident Angie Titchen said sewage has been coming up in the road in front of her house, before running down the side of the road and into a fresh water drain.

She said this then flows straight into the river network.

The Thames Water spokesperson said a tanker has been visiting Eynsham twice a day since May 16 to pump out the sewage from the collapsed pipe, and stop it spilling out into the road.

Tankers have been used while Thames Water carries out repair work, which includes discussions about digging up the road.

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Another resident said local children making their way to school are having to avoid the sewage during their commute.

Oxfordshire county councillor Dan Levy, who represents the Eynsham division, said: “There’s been a blockage and a sewage collapse with raw sewage coming up in Evans Road.

“Thames Water really does need to invest in the network.”

The Thames Water spokesperson said: “We’re sorry for any disruption caused by our work in the village.

“A sewer pipe under Back Lane has collapsed and while we plan the repair work, we’re using tankers to pump sewage out of the network of pipes to stop it spilling out in nearby Evans Road, which being at a lower level, is the place the water naturally flows to.

“We’ll aim to have the sewer fixed as soon as we possibly can so the tankers won’t be needed anymore, but they’re doing an important to job to prevent any more sewage spilling out.

“We’ve cleaned up the areas affected by the spills.”