Toilet paper left after 'disgusting' sewage spill

Residents have said they were "shocked" after used toilet paper was left for nearly two weeks following a sewage spill into a stream.

The spill happened because of an electrical fault at a pumping station on 13 March in Crawley Down, West Sussex.

Residents in Hazel Way claim there have been multiple sewage spills in the past year and criticised Southern Water's clean-up response.

Southern Water said it performed two clean-ups, including one this week, and was working to "significantly improve" the site following the electrical fault.

Sue Kipps, 68, who lives in the area, told BBC Radio Sussex: "I was really shocked to see tissue and debris hanging out of the pipe going into the stream which leads into the River Medway.

"I'm just disgusted that there was a sewage leak and then a week later there's still debris."

Glenn Holland, who has lived in the area for 23 years, said it had been an ongoing issue for "quite some time".

He added: "The pumping station is probably too small for the area, and they need to communicate with residents so we're in the loop."

Liz Williams, another resident, said: "We've had 12 days of used toilet tissue hanging from the pipe. It's just disgusting to have raw sewage coming out of an outlet.

"Dogs run up this path, toddlers come to feed the ducks in the pond. Just metres from them is used toilet tissue, it's just vile.

"It is infrastructure that quite clearly isn't working."

Residents are also concerned about the pressures of housing developments in the area potentially causing more sewage spills.

In an email seen by the BBC, West Sussex County Council said it was the second sewage incident in just over a year. The council said Southern Water did not inform it directly of either incident.

A Southern Water spokesperson said: "We're sorry for the concern this incident has caused the local community.

"Our teams resolved the issue the same day and have carried out two clean-ups.

"We're working to significantly improve this site, boosting its resilience and reducing the likelihood of issues like this happening again."

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