‘DISGUSTING’ blocked drains are causing homes to flood and a road to smell, residents claim.

People living in the Heys Lane area of Darwen said that drains in the road had not been cleared for over 20 years, and were now completely blocked with mud, litter and debris.

Heys Lane

Heather Thompson, 58, of Heys Lane, said she had complained about the situation several times to Blackburn with Darwen Council, but was yet to get a reply.

She said: “There is a drain right outside my semi and when it rains, the water just floods the street.

"I feel sorry for the people who live at the bottom, because it’s quite a steep road and they get all the water going down.

“Not long ago we had a sudden downpour and all the bark we had on our front garden got comple-tely washed away.

“Also, there’s a definite smell in these hot, humid conditions.

“I feel I’ve been fobbed off by the council on the matter, and it makes you wonder what you pay your rates for.”

Sudell town councillor Martin McCaughran said: “They haven’t been cleaned for years.

"Darwen is being neglected and it’s disgusting.

“I myself reported these drains two weeks ago and still nothing has been done.

"It smacks of nobody caring at the council.”

Brian Bailey, Blackburn with Darwen’s director of regeneration, said: "We received a complaint about two of the drains on this road, to which we responded.

“We have not received any complaints about the rest of the drains on the road.

"However, these have now been cleaned.

“We carry out a regular drainage programme in the borough with those areas that are prone to flooding prioritised.

“However, we welcome reports of blocked drains from residents, which will be responded to, in the majority of instances, within a week.”