Hole lot of trouble on Wyke Road (From Dorset Echo)

Hole lot of trouble on Wyke Road

9:50am Thursday 2nd July 2009 in

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GAS problems, road resurfacing problems and sewage problems are all causing havoc for Wyke Road residents.

Resurfacing work by Dorset County Council started on Wyke Road two weeks ago and in the process workers accidentally spilt Tarmac into the sewage system. On Tuesday, Wyke Road resident Marian Huckle looked out of her window to see sewage gushing through her garden.

Workmen from Wessex Water were straight on the scene and found that sewage pipes had been blocked.

Mrs Huckle said: “We saw the sewage go through the garden of our house and next door’s garden and phoned the water board immediately.

“There was a torrent of sewage and it was quite deep gushing into the garden.

“I have to say Wessex Water were fantastic – I couldn’t praise them enough because they were here quickly – cleaned our garden and didn’t stop until they had pumped away all the sewage.”

Workmen for Wessex Water have been on the junction of Wyke Road and Faircross Avenue since the sewage spill, attempting to clear or replace the two sewage pipes.

A Dorset County Council spokesman said: “Our surfacing contractor did accidentally spill some surfacing material into a lamphole last week.

“A lamphole is an old Victorian form of rodding eye used for lowering a lamp into the sewer so obstructions could be viewed from the nearest manhole. Unfortunately, there appeared to be sewer connections directly on to this lamphole, which is where the blockage took place.

“We apologise to residents for any distress this may have caused. Dorset Works Organisation has excavated this blockage and Wessex Water is now constructing a conventional manhole.”

Almost a mile down the road on the junction of Wyke Road and All Saints Road Southern Gas has had to dig the road back up after their efforts to repair a gas pipe were unsuccessful. Spokesman for Southern Gas Sharon Miller-Mckenzie said: “After reinstating the road the gas workers detected traces of gas so they decided to dig up the road again to take another look at the gas ducts. We know this causes inconvenience and we apologise to anyone affected but we need to make sure the job gets done.”