Carlisle man's dismay after blocked drains 'lead to flooding'

Mark Kenny, who lives on Durdar Road, near the racecourse, had his house flood during the recent bout of very heavy rain across Cumbria earlier this month.

Mr Kenny decided to move from Greater Manchester to Cumbria recently.

The retired cop, who lives in the house with his wife, said his ground floor and conservatory was ‘a lake’, with six inches of water across four rooms that they had to pump out.

Flood damage in Mark Kenny's home (Image: Mark Kenny)

But he said this wouldn’t have happened had the council not tarmacked over several drains on the road.

The construction of the Southern Link Road affects the road near where he lives, and he says related resurfacing work on Durdar Road blocked several drains which would have moved some of the water into the sewers.

Flood damage in Mark Kenny's home (Image: Mark Kenny)

Pictures of Mr Kenny's property after the rainfall show soaked and ruined floors, peeling paint, and drenched possessions.

Parts of floor removed due to flood damage in Mr Kenny's house (Image: Mark Kenny)

On the road outside, pictures taken from Google StreetView show the locations of drains on the road prior to the resurfacing work.

One resident claimed 10 of them were tarmacked over.

Durdar Road, near Mr Kenny's house, before the drains were tarmacked over (Image: Google StreetView)

On the newly-resurfaced road, meanwhile, locations of the drains under the new tarmac have been marked with paint - apparently to be unblocked at a later date - but the drains were still blocked several days after the flood, pictures show.

Drain cover removed, and tarmac blocking access to the drain (Image: Ollie Rawlinson)

“We're now worried about going to sleep because we know those drains are blocked, up, they've ruined my house,” Mr Kenny added.

He said priceless family photos and other property was damaged, causing heartbreak.

Mark Kenny's family photos and drawings, all damaged from the flood (Image: Mark Kenny)

The farm opposite, Floshes Farm, was also badly affected.

Resident of Westlea, the house on the farm, Jane Nelson said earlier this week: “The road is at a slight angle, so the rain’s running off into the field and the road past the farm, but they’ve just tarmacked over 10 drains, so that’s why it’s come down the lawn and into the bungalow, and into the vents.

“It has never had water down here before.

Flooding at Westlea, Durdar (Image: Jane Nelson)

“The council said they were going to unblock the drains that they've put tarmac over, but they're still blocked.

“They don't care. Nobody cares, you can't get anywhere.”

A spokesperson for Cumberland Council said: “Cumberland Council are currently looking into this matter and are in communication with the residents affected to understand their experiences and gather all necessary information.

“Our team is thoroughly investigating the situation.”