A couple whose chickens drowned on their wedding day are furious about clogged drains that flood their garden during heavy rain.
Lucinda and Geoff Cooper feel ignored by the authorities as their garden and driveway are regularly flooded, leaving a trail of dirt and debris.
Geoff, a former Royal Navy engineer, says the garden will be flooded because the drains up the road to Cadley Hill Roundabout are completely blocked and overgrown.
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Now they are calling on the council to clean up the street and open the drains near their home on Woodland Road, Stanton.
Geoff, 80, said, “When it rains heavily, the water washes down the street. It flows directly over the overgrown drains and ends up in our garden.
“We first moved here in 1976 after I left the Navy and we usually get flooded from the front lines, but it’s never been this bad.
“They don’t bother cleaning the street outside, which leads to the drains being clogged. We’ve been to the authorities and they just don’t want to know. A couple of months ago we had heavy rain, the garbage and debris caused. ” flow into our garden.
“That makes us angry, of course. We tried to evacuate it ourselves but the traffic is so heavy and fast on the A444 that it is quite difficult and dangerous.
“Last year they cleaned out the two drains in front of our house, but the water is still backing up and coming into the garden and through the garage. It should be running down the gutters, but it’s all clogged. It just sits on the gutters and floats on.
“It brings and washes all sorts of deposits with it. Someone has to come out and take a good look at the drains.
“Even if the water drains, it leaves a lot of dirt in the driveway and garage. I just wish someone would do something. “
The overgrown drains on the A444
(Image: Submitted)
Geoff’s wife, Lucinda, a former trainer, said: “The streets were always flooded. I remember it was flooded on our wedding day. We had chickens back then and they all drowned.
“We have two pumps, but they are not enough. People don’t come very often. We’ve told them this is a problem every time, but I think they just don’t want to spend any money.
“It just goes on and on and on. Sometimes when the water is drained it leaves the garden with thick oil and sludge-like liquid on the ground that is a hassle to clean.”
The couple say their driveway floods every time it rains heavily
(Image: Submitted)
A Derbyshire County Council spokesman said: “We have received reports of some specific problems and are aware of a number of blocked gullies on this stretch of road.
“We have worked closely with our colleagues at South Derbyshire District Council who are doing this work on our behalf and they are committed to clearing the gullies this week.
“These gullies will then be monitored in the future as part of the cyclical gully clearing and we are examining possibilities to carry out work to increase the efficiency of the gullies at these locations in order to improve things in the long term.”
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