A WOMAN who owns a house in Powick went to court this week to appeal against a ruling requiring her to deal with alleged problems with a drainage system.

Claire Crossley, who owns King's End Cottage, but does not live there, installed a reed bed drainage system in 1997, to deal with the effluent from the house and two others.

Malvern Hills District Council served a notice on Mrs Crossley in April 2001, after complaints had been received about smells coming from the reed bed.

Mrs Crossley appealed against the notice, but at a hearing last November at Worcester Magistrates' Court, Deputy District Judge Strongman upheld the council's notice.

The court heard that the council had received complaints about the smell from a Mr and Mrs Wallace, on whose land the reed bed was installed.

Since the installation of the reed bed, relations between Mrs Crossley and the Wallaces had deteriorated.

Mrs Crossley then appealed against the magistrates' decision and a hearing began in Hereford Crown Court on Monday, June 10, in front of Recorder Martin Wilson QC.

The district council is being represented by barrister Conrad Rumney, while Mrs Crossley is representing herself.

The hearing was scheduled to last five days and finish today (Friday). Both sides were due to call expert witnesses.

Recorder Mr Wilson is due to make a judgment on Monday (June 17).