DELAYS in drainage repair work have caused a row in a Melksham street.

Frustrated residents in St Michaels Road have suffered drainage and flooding problems for more than 30 years.

West Wiltshire District Council ordered a professional investigation into the problems two years ago, which earmarked collapsing fibre pipes as the cause.

Repair work was undertaken by private firm MULTIJET, which was organised by officers at the district council on behalf of residents. Each of the 16 households shelled out £1,294 for the work, which was due to be completed in a month.

Residents say repair work has dragged on much longer than a month and work is still unfinished.

One resident said he experienced drainage problems five years after the houses were built, indicating the district council did not properly check the system at the time.

They are now calling for the council to stump up cash towards repairs. District councillors discussed the motion at a Cabinet meeting last Wednesday and ordered a report into the issue.

Cllr Sarah Cardy, battling on behalf of the residents, said the issue was taking too long to resolve.

She said: "The process is just too long.

"The residents have been waiting for their problems to be resolved for years.

"I thought we would have an answer for them but we have to wait until August for the report to come out."