ELDERLY and disabled residents are fed up of living in a scene which would not look out of place in a Third World country.

Last Friday the sewers in Donne Place, Blacon, overflowed for the fifth time since April causing raw sewage to be spilled on to their gardens.

One couple had to be evacuated because the sewage was almost coming through their front door.

Resident Louise Dale, 28, said the affected people, who live in Muir Group Housing's bungalows and Spencer House were either elderly or disabled.

'It's like living in the Dark Ages. We might as well just throw our slops out of the window!' she said.

Miss Dale said problems started at teatime last Friday and residents endured a weekend of the authorities arguing with each other about who was responsible.

Finally the situation was sorted out by 9pm on Monday, leaving everyone fed up and exhausted.

Miss Dale said: 'The drains started backing up at 5.50pm on Friday night. It was not just service water. There was toilet paper and so on.

'We rang the emergency contact number and Muir had a look at the drains.'

They said: 'It's not our problem, it's the water board.'

The water people said: 'It's not our problem, it's the council.' The council said: 'It is the water board.'

'On Monday morning we were six inches deep in excrement.'

Miss Dale, whose partner Ernie Stant is disabled, said the sewage surrounded her garden and swamped the garden of a next door neighbour, who had just spent £300 making it look nice.

Roger and Wendy Boddy had to be put into emergency accommodation because of the problems.

And at one point people in Spencer House couldn't get in or out of the building.

Miss Dale added: 'We couldn't flush our toilet otherwise the shower tray filled up with stuff from the drains.'

Asked how she and her partner had managed to go to the loo, Miss Dale added: 'We hardly have.'

Miss Dale understood cameras were going to be sent down the drains because it was feared the main drain might have collapsed.

She added: 'They were just going to unblock the drains and go.

'We cleared up last time and they swilled it into the field but it wasn't disinfected properly. There is still the pong and the flies. It's not good.'

David Egerton, regional manager for Muir, said: 'I believe the problem was caused because of bricks and clothing in the sewer that shouldn't have been there, so I think Welsh Water need to find out how these items got into the sewer and bolt the manholes down or provide a bigger capacity drain.

'It is most unfortunate. I have written to Welsh Water to ask them to address the problem.'

No-one from Welsh Water was available for comment.