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‘We want to do right by residents’
Photo : Ian Robinson 90 year old Alice Bolton with fellow neighbours, Joe Seaton, and Violet and John Byrne, from Windsor Avenue in Longridge where home and gardens flood
PENSIONERS whose sheltered homes in Longridge were hit by sewage floodwater last year say they are still waiting for water giant United Utilities to solve their problems - months after being told they would be fixed.
Ninety year old Alice Bolton and her neighbours in Windsor Avenue were told last October that the national company would survey the site ‘in the next couple of weeks.’
Almost three momths later Mrs Bolton told The News: “Nobody has been near us.
“We have not had any more flooding, but damp in still in my house. It has affected my health a few times at Christmas and New Year and I’ve been on steroids because of that.”
She added that landlords Ribble Valley Homes did inspect the damp on Monday. “They said they’d sort it by spraying and wiping it off - but I don’t think that’ll do any good” said Mrs Bolton.
Asked about the delay in carrying out the survey in November, United Utilities said: “Until recently, the pipe in question was under private ownership. We have only recently inherited it, due to a change in national sewer ownership rules. We now want to do right by residents.
“We plan to visit the site in the next fortnight, to speak to residents and get a clearer idea of the problems they have faced in the past
“From there, we will carry out an inspection, and any subsequent repair work. We are keen to solve this issue, so residents can enjoy peace of mind.”
Hearing about this latest pledge of help has left Mrs Bolton in a ‘we’ll wait and see’ frame of mind. She has suffered flooding problems in the last eight of the 19 years she has lived in Windsor Avenue and says she has “heard and seen it all before.’’
She has had to face sewage gushing up into her shower when she was using it, her son having to dig a hole to bury the waste.
In their seven years next door, Joseph and Susan Seaton had to put up with flood water coming in off the adjacent field.
In their first three months at Windsor Avenue, the Seaton’s neighbours John and Violet Byrne had found deep stretches of flood water running around the back of their property.
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Weather for Longridge
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Heavy rain
Temperature: 12 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South
