RAW sewage spilled onto the street of a Hampshire town for the third time in ten days.

Part of Winchester Road in Romsey was closed earlier today as flood water caused drains to burst across the street and pour through houses.

It is the third time since Christmas Eve has been covered in sewage.

The first overspill happened on Christmas Eve, making roads in the town centre impassable.

Then continued rainfall on New Year's Day sent sewage spilling out of drains and into the street.

The road is currently closed at the junction near The Plaza theatre but water levels are subsiding.

Homeowner Stephen Marriott, who lives in Winchester Road, was forced to pump the foul water out of his property as water levels continued to rise this morning.

The water flooded his downstairs bathroom but Mr Marriott told the Daily Echo that it would be much worse if he didn't pump the water out of his house himself.

The 55-year-old, who has lived in the road for 35 years, said: “The council were told this was going to happen as we were saying the drainage system was not going to cope with the rain.

“There is foul water coming in. The problem now is no one can use their toilets but if they do they are making it worse.

“The drains are getting overwhelmed every time it rains.

“The drains along here haven't been touched for 70 years. They are too small. There is so much building up at the top of the hill that when it comes down there is too much surface water going into the sewers.”

One woman, who did not want to be named, said her bathroom and kitchen was flooded this morning.

She said: “We have phoned the water board, the council, and the police, but we are a bit more prepared now.

“We had a worse flood in 1961 and what they did afterwards must have been excellent, but in the last couple of years we have had this problem with the drains.”

A meeting between residents of Winchester Road to discuss the flooding problems has been arranged to be held at The Plaza on Sunday, January 12, at 10am.