February 23, 2001 10:06: DISGUSTED residents have accused council bosses of passing the buck after pleading for their help to combat serious flooding.

Some homes along The Vale, Chesham, are surrounded by up to a foot of water and many residents, including two pregnant women, claim to have spotted floating raw sewage after drains overflowed.

In one house a mother is having to look after her new born baby without the use of her toilet.

Homeowners were stunned after being told that they might have to put up with the deluge until the summer.

Angry resident Sally Escott claims her neighbour can see rising water below his floorboards.

She said: "We've rung Chesham Town Council, Chiltern District Council and the county council but it's just like a merry-go-round, they just pass us from one to the other.

"Nobody has been down here to speak to us and nobody will tell us what's happening."

The Vale has been flooded since the heavy rainfall early last week which caused the underground drainage system to overflow.

Ken Hulme, Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for Chesham and Amersham, visited the waterlogged scene on Monday.

He said: "The situation is appalling. Human sewage now seems to be flowing into the flooded street posing a public health risk.

"At least two heavily pregnant women are living in conditions which threaten to become unsanitary, as is a family with a two-week-old baby."

County council engineers started pumping the water away on Tuesday after residents, backed up by Mr Hulme, demanded action.

A more powerful pump was due to arrive yesterday after engineers inspected the drainage system.

The three councils say they have no legal obligation to protect residents or their property in the face of the flooding.

However, the county council does have a duty to look after roads and highways and is also responsible for the proper drainage of water.

A county council spokesman said the council was doing all it could to improve the situation but could not do a great deal until the water subsided. He said: "This is a very difficult situation for everybody concerned."

James Cox