Families in a flood-hit Broads village haven’t been able to use toilets in their homes for almost two months, leaving them forced to use public facilities.
People in Hickling are still suffering the effects of recent heavy rainfall and flooding, with some households being unable to use their toilets for the last seven weeks since Storm Babet in October.
Around half a dozen households, mainly in Staithe Road, have been affected by the broad overflowing and filling up sewerage systems.
It’s meant many have had to use the public toilets at the Pleasure Boat Inn off Staithe Road, owned by North Norfolk District Council.
READ MORE: Shocking aerial photo show flooding in Hickling and Martham after Storm Babet
Harry Blathwayt, Hickling councillor and portfolio holder for coast at North Norfolk District Council, said it has caused “real discomfort” for many people.
“Hickling has suffered real issues with the amount of water that is overtopping the broad, flooding the drains,” he said.
“Though the sewage is not coming back up through their toilets and into their homes, it means they can’t use their toilets.
“It shouldn’t happen, it’s wrong, and I feel desperately sorry for anybody who has been put through this discomfort.”
Speaking at a council meeting recently, Mr Blathwayt said Hickling and other Broad’s villages are in a “precarious situation”.
“We wait with concern and trepidation as to our weather events this winter,” he said.
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Simon Wilson, chairman of Hickling Parish Council, who lives nearby in Stubb Road, said he has been affected by the flooding.
“We had backflow during the storm conditions when we had the heavy rain as well as the high spring tides,” he said.
“We get a tidal locking effect which means Hickling broad overflows. That, in turn, effects the lowest of the sewerage in the village, which are on Staithe Road.
“We’re some distance from Staithe Road but even our drains were backflowing, overflowing up through the manhole covers.
“The sewerage system is so poor in Hickling that a lot of rain water goes into the sewers and pumping systems can’t cope with the unusual storm conditions.”
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