CHILDREN at a playground in Hazlemere were exposed to raw sewage from a blocked drain for six days last month.

The drain, off Cedar Avenue, is used by all the nearby premises and began to leak on Friday, July 15, covering The Dell in foul smelling water close to the play area.

Resident Kathleen Wiltshire, who contacted the parish council to complain, said: "It was disgusting. There were footprints in it and it was close to where all the kiddies play. They will be going home complaining of upset tummies because of the mess."

Valerie Jones, Hazlemere Parish Council clerk, said a private contractor was called out to deal with the situation the following Monday after Thames Water, who look after public sewers, said the drain was not their responsibility.

Mrs Jones said: "Thames Water said it was nothing to do with them. On Monday we phoned around and then got a private company to do it."

The problem was originally reported by Hazlemere Lodge care home to Wycombe District Council, who arranged a site visit for health and safety reasons on Friday.

Despite the visit, the problem was not rectified until late the following week.

A spokesman for the council said: "The care home had reported a blockage to a contractor on Friday 15, which was cleared, but blocked again further down the line over the weekend, causing sewage to leak out into the park by the play area.

"As such the care home contacted the contractor again and the blockage was removed on Tuesday."

She added: "On a second inspection officers found that the mess from the leak had not been properly cleared from the area and advised the care home to call in another contractor to clean the park area, this was carried out on Wednesday."

The district council said that a large percentage of sewers in the area are private, and as such it was the responsibility of those who use the drain to maintain it.

The Cedar Avenue area in Hazlemere is now completely clean and has been disinfected.