Families have been left without water and toilet facilities after flooding caused pumping stations to fail, with sewage backing up into elderly residents' homes.

The issues in Yaxham have been ongoing since Wednesday December 23 after Anglian Water engineers were unable to reach one pump to repair it on Boxing Day as it was under water.

The water supplier promised to send a tanker to clear the pump however it has still not arrived.

Residents on St Peter's Close have been forced to use communal toilets and visit their neighbours to use the facilities.

Eastern Daily Press: Residents have been left without water and toilet facilities in Yaxham after raw sewage flooding.Residents have been left without water and toilet facilities in Yaxham after raw sewage flooding. (Image: Ian Martin)

There are further issues on Norwich Road where a pumping station was being continually overloaded, with Anglian Water tankers turning out regularly over the last five days.

At another pumping station on Paper Street in Clint Green, Breckland district councillor Ian Martin said there had been reports of manhole covers spewing sewage and draining down the road towards the River Tud, with further reports of issues in nearby Mattishall.

Mr Martin said: "These are elderly, frail and vulnerable people in their 70s and 80s. We wouldn't want to see our parents or grandparents living ins such conditions - so why we should be we put up with this for other people's parents and grandparents?

He added: "This has been going on since the day before Christmas Eve and Anglian Water finally turned out yesterday morning but until the station is emptied the engineer can't get to the pump."

Eastern Daily Press: Residents have been left without water and toilet facilities in Yaxham after raw sewage flooding.Residents have been left without water and toilet facilities in Yaxham after raw sewage flooding. (Image: Ian Martin)

Mr Martin met with residents and Adrian Barber, the managing director of Flagship which operates the properties on St Peter's Close, to discuss a solution.

Mr Barber discussed bringing in private tankers in order to clear the pump and also offered the tenants the opportunity to relocate.

Eastern Daily Press: Residents have been left without water and toilet facilities in Yaxham after raw sewage flooding.Residents have been left without water and toilet facilities in Yaxham after raw sewage flooding. (Image: Ian Martin)

Mr Martin said Breckland Council's emergency rehousing team were on standby in case they are required.

An Anglian Water spokesman said: “Due to the sheer amount of rainfall this has meant that water can’t drain away as quickly as it usually would. Now the rain has stopped, we will see the water start to subside.

"Once we are able to remove the excess waste water we will be able to restart the pumps at Yaxham to enable them to work as they normally would.”