Thames Water has promised new measures to prevent residents suffering sewage overflows in their gardens and on streets.

Since the 1970s, residents have called for improvements to Marston's overflowing sewerage network.

They were angry that the Victorian network overflowed on to Ferry Road, Purcell Road and Moody Road during heavy rain.

Their fears were heightened last winter, when public health experts revealed that the sewage could contain contaminated waste from the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Headington.

Since then, Thames Water has launched investigations into the cause of the flooding and cleaned out the sewer pipes, as reported in the Oxford Mail last month.

At yesterday's (February 9) environment scrutiny committee, Roy Darke, city councillor for Marston, said he was delighted to receive a letter from Thames Water promising permanent measures.

Stephen Dummer, Thames Water's customer service spokesman, wrote: "We are proposing the installation of a large pumped storage tank near Ferry Road.

"This installation will be designed to cope with existing flows, together with future growth, including the John Radcliffe Hospital extensions.

"Our proposal may also include a second tank to provide protection to properties north of Ferry Road.

"We are undertaking further exploratory work to see if this additional storage is feasible."

Mr Dummer added that construction work would take place in the summer and Thames Water would spend about £50,000 on the new measures.

Mr Darke added: "This is very good news and follows concerted public pressure.

"Initial work cleaning silt out of sewers and cutting tree roots in one or two places have had some effect and, as a result, drains have not overflowed this winter."

John Gilbert, operations manager for Thames Water's Waste Water branch, will brief the north east area committee when it meets on Tuesday, February 17, at New Marston Primary School at 6pm.