Sewage is causing a stink for Great Bedwyn residents once again, as Monday’s heavy downpour caused drains to overflow.

Residents in the assisted-living homes at The Knapp say the sewers have flooded every time there is heavy rain for the past 21 years, despite reassurances from Thames Water that the problem has been dealt with.

The Knapp was built in the 1960s on sloping land leading down to the village’s railway station and it is mainly the homes at the bottom of the slope that suffer.

Pensioner Jean Cook, 76, first spotted the drain near her house bubbling over at 9pm on Monday and ten minutes later sewage began to pour into her garden.

She said: “I can’t believe it because last year Thames Water said it wouldn’t happen again, but here we are again.

“It’s just horrendous, I couldn’t go outside into my garden without wearing welly boots and it means that I can’t flush my toilet or have a shower, I can’t really do anything until it’s fixed. I’ve lived here for six years and this has happened every year I’ve been here. Last year it happened in April, three times in July and in October.”

Residents say they will not give up until the problem is fixed permanently.

Jan Thornton, who runs the Knapp Tenants’ Association, said: “This can’t go on, we shouldn’t have to keep doing this but the problem is that Aster and Thames Water just keep passing the problem to each other.

“Every time there’s rain the people at risk are on the edge of their seats with worry – imagine if that was your grandmother or your mum.

“Claire Perry has been working on this for us and she has been absolutely brilliant, she has been back on the case like a rottweiler.”

Devizes MP Mrs Perry said: “I am so sorry that some of the residents of The Knapp in Great Bedwyn have been affected by flooding again and I know how distressing this is.

“I am pleased that representatives from Thames Water and Aster Communities were very helpful but I am determined that long term solutions are put in place as soon as possible to ensure that this does not happen again.”

Contractors for Thames Water were on the scene just after midnight but by then the flooding had subsided.

A Thames Water spokesman said: “Heavy downpours overwhelmed our sewers in Great Bedwyn yesterday evening causing flooding to The Knapp.

“We are carrying out a programme of works including regular cleaning of the sewers.

“Monitors are currently in place measuring water in the network and improvements have been made to our pumping station.

“We are very sorry for the mess and distress this has caused and will continue with our work to resolve this issue.

The properties affected are managed by Aster Housing Association. A spokesman for the company said: “As soon as we were made aware of the problem, we contacted Thames Water – which owns and manages the drainage and sewerage systems at The Knapp – on our customers’ behalf.

“Operatives from our property maintenance business also went out to the site immediately to see if there was anything we could do to help.

“We’re continuing to do everything we can to support our customers while this problem is being resolved. We’re also continuing to liaise with Thames Water to find out what action they’ll be taking to prevent a similar situation occurring again.”

know how distressing this is.

“I am pleased that representatives from Thames Water and Aster Communities were very helpful but I am determined that long term solutions are put in place as soon as possible to ensure that this does not happen again.”

Contractors for Thames Water were on the scene just after midnight but by then the flooding had subsided.

A Thames Water spokesman said: “Heavy downpours overwhelmed our sewers in Great Bedwyn causing flooding to The Knapp.

“We are carrying out a programme of works including regular cleaning of the sewers.

“Monitors are currently in place measuring water in the network and improvements have been made to our pumping station.

“We are very sorry for the mess and distress this has caused and will continue with our work to resolve this issue.”

The properties affected are managed by Aster Housing Association. A spokesman for the company said: “As soon as we were made aware of the problem, we contacted Thames Water – which owns and manages the drainage and sewerage systems at The Knapp – on our customers’ behalf.

“Operatives from our property maintenance business also went out to the site immediately to see if there was anything we could do to help.

“We’re continuing to do everything we can to support our customers while this problem is being resolved. “We’re also continuing to liaise with Thames Water to find out what action they’ll be taking to prevent a similar situation occurring again.”