OVERFLOWING drains are sending raw sewage into two Shildon streets near a housing development.

People living in College Street and Albion Avenue are demanding action over their doorstep drain problem, which started about a year ago when Broseley Homes built 16 houses on the site of a primary school in Thornhill Gardens.

The problem became particularly bad during the past few days and Durham County Council has agreed to carry out emergency repairs this weekend.

But residents say they have waited too long for someone to take responsibility.

One mother said: "What sort of a health hazard has this posed to our children?

"We were told at first that it was vegetable matter and was not a risk. I even tried to help by clearing it with my hands when it built up outside my house.

"It is a disgusting mess. You can see the sewage as it runs down the gutter. The smell is dreadful. It is like being back in the dark ages.

"We have complained for a long time, but everybody blames everybody else."

A Broseley Homes spokes-man said: "The problem in the College Street area is due to a collapsed drain and is the responsibility of Durham County Council.

"We have told them this and believe they are carrying our emergency remedial work at their own cost this weekend.

"There has been a smaller problem on our site at Thornhill Gardens regarding pipes, which we are working to rectify."

But a Northumbrian Water spokesman said the main responsibility lay with the builders.

He said: "The problems in the area are coming from a private drain. It is not adopted and they have never applied for it to be adopted.

"If they did we would be looking at the structural integrity and capacity to see if they are both right before we would adopt them."

Durham County Council said: "It is a very complex problem involving surface water drains and sewage drains.

"There needs to be a more permanent solution found and this will require further investigation and discussions between the people responsible for the drains in that area."