Grandparents living in a historic home are forced to use a Portaloo in their backyard and beg neighbors to wash their clothes as floods continue to block their drains.
Roger Sell and his fiancée Janet Hewlett have been without any drainage in their Grade II listed cottage since December.
They rent a Portaloo for £20 a week for the garden of their black and white detached cottage in Marden, Herefordshire, because of the problem and say the council has “basically given up”.
The retired couple are desperate to have their garden dry in time for their wedding celebrations this summer, but say their village is constantly plagued by flooding.
Roger Sell sat next to the Portaloo which he was forced to rent for £20 a week
Roger Sell and his fiancée Janet Hewlett outside their historic Grade II listed cottage
Grandfather-of-one Roger, a retired council worker, said: “We have to use a Portaloo, pour laundry water into the garden and ask neighbors to wash our clothes.
“We haven’t had drainage since Christmas. The council failed to clean the sewers and virtually gave up, saying there was nothing more they could do.
Janet, a retired teacher and grandmother of seven, added: “It’s quite depressing and some days it just makes you want to cry.
“I know people are suffering even more from the floods, but this has been a nightmare.
“The road is constantly flooded and passing vehicles throw mud and water into the garden and into the house.
“Water comes down from the fields but the drainage system cannot absorb it. Municipal workers came, they worked hard but admitted that we cannot solve this problem.
“I assume the pipes need to be completely restructured or rebuilt, which would be a costly job.
“At first we had to get in the car to the village church to go to the toilet. Now we rent this Portaloo.
“I’ve lived here since 1995, it’s a beautiful place and I’m really happy here overall – but it’s not very pleasant to watch your garden reduced to mud.
Roger Sell next to a blocked drain outside his house in Marden, Herefordshire
The retired couple are desperate to have their garden dry in time for their wedding celebrations this summer, but say their village is constantly plagued by flooding.
Roger and Janet say council has ‘worked hard’ but has ‘basically given up’ on solving the problem
“We’ve had these portable toilets since December and we’re several months into it.
“We’re getting married this summer and are planning to put up a marquee in the garden, so we’re praying it starts to dry out soon.
“We shouldn’t have to live like this and the problem isn’t going away.”
Other residents said they were also fed up with roads being flooded for weeks and criticized Herefordshire Council for inaction.
Beth Macbain said: “People have had enough.
“My mother had a serious heart condition, she was in and out of hospital and needed a panic alarm.
“She lives in Belmont, Hereford, but if something happens and her alarm goes off I might not be able to reach her.”
Catriona Deredas, another local, added that she had to buy a van to get through the floods safely.
She said: “A lot of people aren’t so lucky.
“There are many elderly and vulnerable people in the village and for them this is a serious problem.
Another Chris Morgan said: “This has had a huge impact on Marden Church.
“Floods are now becoming chronic rather than periodic. I have lived in Marden since 1962 and have observed the impact of climate change.
“More localized road flooding is concerning as it is entirely avoidable and is the responsibility of Herefordshire Council.
“The main causes are environmental changes, lack of repairs to collapsed pipes and culverts, changes in agricultural practices, ditches destroyed by heavy vehicles and lack of investment in repairs or sustainability.
“Flooding creates more potholes and hides existing ones. Road edges are also eroded.
“Before long, this will have a negative impact on local property prices. For people in rural areas, solving all of this is more important than a bypass.
Herefordshire Council has been contacted for comment by MailOnline.
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