On the hottest day of the year so far, residents in Saffron Walden were complaining about excrement floating along their street yesterday (Tuesday, July 19) after a blocked drain.

The water authority was contacted after people said the unpleasantness had became serious along The Spike, a side street off the Radwinter Road. A spokesman for Anglian Water which is generally responsible for sewage said: “The flooding is on a private pipe and is not part of the Anglian Water network so I am unable to comment on the cause. We attended the address and have contacted the owner of the pipe.”