MARLOW residents are being urged to keep toilet use to a minimum for as long as two weeks as sewer systems become overloaded with flood water.

Environmental Health officers confirmed the advice following a multi-agency meeting this morning at the Incident Command Unit vehicle stationed in Court Garden Car Park.

Authorities insist the advice is not just limited to the flooded area, and that most residents in the town are being asked to watch their usage.

Divisional environmental health officer Andrew Collinson said: "Because of the condition of the sewers and because they're already overwhelmed with floodwater, people need to start restricting usage of their toilets.

"For instance, they shouldn't flush after they've urinated. People are asked to be considerate on their water usage because the water they use will go into the sewer network that's already overwhelmed.

"It's not just isolated areas, so we're asking everyone in lower Marlow to be considerate.

"It's not river water flooding anymore, it's mainly groundwater, so that can take anything from two to three weeks to shift."

Mr Collinson said sewage has already started to come up through manhole covers and that if people are not careful with usage, the problem will only get worse.

Residents along Pound Lane have reported water becoming increasingly smelly as sewers and cesspits overflow.

Officers deem the floodwater in and around houses as contaminated, and repeated advice given yesterday that no one should walk through it or let their children play in it.

RAF officers stationed at Bisham School are helping to deliver advice leaflets across the area.