It has been revealed that a council has splashed out almost £10,000 in 18 months in an attempt to resolve long-standing drainage issues that are causing a Mere to flood nearby businesses.

Diss Town Council have been trying to tackle issues at the town's Mere as water levels have remained high for several months.

Long running drainage problems were thought to have been solved in September 2014, when a new section of drain - designed to take excess water from the Mere - was installed, after earlier pipes collapsed and became blocked. However the problems have remained.

The network is designed to take excess water under Aldi's car park, Park Road, Morrisons' petrol station and into the River Waveney.

Deborah Sarson, Diss Town Council Clerk, said: 'We have been endeavouring to get to the bottom of the problem. We had contractors jet the system on Monday but the problem keeps rearing its head.

'When we installed the new drain we thought the problem had been solved.

'We are desperately working to find a long-term solution.

'We are going to meet with the contractors and structural engineers next week to try and get to the bottom of it.'

Mere Moments and Scrivens Opticians & Hearing Care, on Mere Street, have both lost parts of their car park because of the high water levels.

Sharon Loom, who owns Mere Moments, said: 'It's been up high since December. The Mere's water level has been up high before but after a couple of weeks it goes back down again.

'It is frustrating as we pay for that as part of our rent and rates. We're going to get some sand bags to try and help the problem.'

Mrs Sarson added that although the council is trying to resolve the drainage problems, land owners are responsible for the Mere edge on their property.

She said: 'It is up to them if they want to get a specialist to advise them how to stop the water rising onto their land.

'They can have a retaining wall put it but it would need to be cleared with the town council.'