WAVES more than six feet high are being swept over the garden wall of a Bewdley home because nearby drains are unable to cope with rainwater, an angry resident has claimed. Alec Dudley, son of David Wilson, by the flooded road in Bewdley.

David Wilson, a builder, of Kidderminster Road, Catchems End, said he had been complaining for 20 years about the problem of water regularly flooding both sides of the road, the pavement outside a number of houses and his front garden.

But he said despite work by the county council to improve drainage capacity more than seven years ago, the problem had deteriorated.

He said: "My wall is more than six feet high and when it gets really bad cars go past and send a bow wave over the top. I have had 18ins of water in my front garden and the water brings in all kinds of rubbish, cigarette ends - it all floods down my drive."

Mr Wilson, who has lived at the address for 21 years, said vehicles regularly drove on the other side of the road to avoid the water, while pedestrians were forced to cross the road as the pavement outside his and four other houses became impassable.

Mr Wilson said he had been in contact with the county council over the years about the problem but claimed he had been "fobbed off."

He said he had told a major housing development in Habberley Road nearby would ease the problem, but said the situation had only become worse.

A spokesman for Worcestershire County Council said a drain running beneath Kidderminster Road had been repaired 18 months ago and the work had appeared to remedy the problem.

But he said last year, the problem re-occurred and efforts by contractors to clear out drains using high-powered jets had proved unsuccessful.

He said it had been hoped when the new housing development in Habberley Road was planned the opportunity could also be taken to put in new drainage.

But he said this had not been possible and the aim was now to address the problem at a later date, when funds allowed.