Pay attention to what you are putting down the drains – that’s the message from one of Dorset’s drainage companies.

The warning follows a report by Water UK, the trade body representing all of the main water and sewerage companies in the UK, which said that wipes make up 93 per cent of the materials that cause sewer blockages.

Metro Rod Dorset is therefore encourage people across the county to pay attention to what they are putting down their drains.

Giant fatbergs have been found in sewers, one of the worst recently totalling the length of two football pitches and weighing the same as 11 double decker buses.

These are being created because people are disposing of fat and grease down their drains, and wet wipes are being flushed down toilets. The fat and grease cools as it travels down the pipes, congeals and then combines with the non-biodegradable products such as wipes with an inevitable congealed build up, producing a fatberg.

Martin Anderson of Metro Rod Dorset, said: “Our engineers deal with blockages caused in this way on an almost daily basis, and the problems seems to be getting worse. We can expertly deal with this kind of blockage using techniques such as high-pressure jetting to clear any build up, and even drainage repair if necessary, but we’d also like to help educate Dorset and try to lessen the damage caused in this way.

“This is also costing the UK’s economy a huge amount to deal with, not to mention the inconvenience and potential health risks caused by drain blockages and overflows, so we urge you all to put wipes in to the bin after use and any fat, oil and grease in to a container before also disposing of it in to the bin.”