THESE images show raw sewage spilling out of drains during the recent downpours in Cirencester.

Earlier this month Cirencester witnessed flooding across the town, which included the river Churn bursting its banks.

As a result the A419 Old Swindon road near Tesco and towards Dobbies Garden Centre was closed on Sunday, January 15 due to flooding. 

There was also flooding in Chesterton on the same weekend.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard:

Pictures - which were taken during the same weekend have now been released which show the scale of the issues that residents faced.

"This ongoing problem must be addressed," said Sam Stratford, who sent in the images, which show overflowing foul drains between Rose Way and Falstaff Close in Cirencester.

Last year householders affected by flooding attended a public meeting to hold representatives to account. 

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard:

Flooding has repeatedly affected communities in Cirencester, Siddington and South Cerney.

More than 70 homes in Cirencester and the surrounding area flooded in the winter of 2020/21.

One family in Dugdale Road spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in 2020 bailing flood water out of their house, whilst another house in Coxwell Street suffered flooding in their kitchen.

Previously, Cotswold District Council leader Joe Harris described the scenes of sewage flooding in the area. 

He said in January 2021: "No one in the 21st century should have to spend Christmas in their wellies surrounded by floodwater containing human excrement, tissue paper and used sanitary products.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard:

“Gardens were submerged by sewage water, carers were forced to wade through dirty water to see patients and many elderly residents were without power or water which forced them to have to leave their homes.

In December 2021 Thames Water installed a new sewer system connecting 850 existing properties in Chesterton to the network in efforts to reduce flooding. 

In May last year there were hopes that a new sewer system in Cirencester would help alleviate flooding in the town. 

The new foul water system would connect 850 existing properties in Chesterton onto a new and improved sewer network, while adding the future capacity needed for new homes planned as part of The Steadings development.