THE owners of nine properties in a village near Worcester face a bill of more than a thousand pounds each to stop sewage from seeping up through a drain and on to a busy road.

Instead of being connected to the sewage system, the waste from these homes on Hereford Road, which passes through the centre of Leigh Sinton, goes straight into the storm drain.

This means that during heavy rainfall, the storm drain fills up and the waste, including human excrement and sanitary towels, rises up through a drain on to the road causing a stench.

The estimated cost to redirect waste into the sewage system is £12,000.

Ivor Pumfrey, head of environmental services at Malvern Hills District Council, said: "We have written to the owners saying that the problem needs to be solved.

"It is very rare that they come together and solve the issue themselves.

"We usually end up having to serve notices and we do the work and send them the bill.

"I would imagine we will be serving the notices in the next few weeks."

If the owners do not pay, then the cost is recoverable through the courts.

The overflowing drain is just outside Katie Smith's home. She said the sewage affects the whole village.

The mother-of-two said: "It runs right down through the village. It is horrendous.

"Once we had a storm and within seven minutes it was overflowing. The rain stopped but it continued overflowing for an hour.

"The traffic drives through it and splashes it up our drive. I just want something to be done about it."

Mr Pumfrey added: "I have the greatest sympathy with anyone who buys a property and finds a problem with it."The problem started around two years ago.