WET wipes weighing 20kg were pulled from one sewer in Weymouth – leading to a warning from water bosses about what people flush down toilets.

Wessex Water said hundreds of wipes had built up in the sewer to cause the blockage and resulting in a team having to go out to clear it.

The water and sewerage company is also backing Unblocktober - a national campaign and awareness month which aims to improve the health of drains, sewers, watercourses and seas by encouraging people to improve their kitchen and bathroom habits.

Wessex Water’s Dave West, whose team dealt with the Weymouth blockage, said: “We always ask our customers to dispose of wet wipes correctly, which means putting them in the bin and not down the toilet.

“Most wet wipes contain plastic and don’t break down like toilet paper when flushed, causing obstructions that can lead to sewage entering homes and watercourses.

“We’re getting behind Unblocktober this year to get the message out there about what should and shouldn’t be put down the toilet.”

Wessex Water clears around 13,000 blockages on its network every year at a cost of £5 million, with wet wipes contributing to the vast majority of them.

Even wipes marketed as ‘flushable’ often don’t pass the water industry’s strict Fine to Flush standards, according to Wessex Water.