Raw sewage spilled into the garden and driveway of a Banstead resident yesterday (Monday, March 9) after a malfunctioning pipe broke nearby.

David Churchley lives on Commonfield Road in Banstead.

Since Monday he was effectively trapped in his house after a pipe servicing the area collapsed and caused raw sewage to leak around the property.

"There's a massive tree outside my property and its roots are in the sewage system," David told the Comet, pointing out the apparent source of the problem.

Surrey Comet: David Churchley David Churchley

"Last year we had a flood of sewage and it happened again two weeks' later.

"This last episode it's blocked right outside my property.

"We're on the side of a hill and I'm at the bottom.

"All the sewage has come up through my manhole cover and flow through my garden and next doors'" he said.

Surrey Comet: The tree believed to be the cause of the broken pipeThe tree believed to be the cause of the broken pipe

Thames Water who manage the water supply on the property attended multiple times in an attempt to address the issue.

On Tuesday (March 10), they confirmed they had gone back once more to Commonfield Road after David and his neighbour continued under siege from the sewage.

"We’ve visited the property today and cleared blockages from the public sewer as well as the private pipe within the property boundary.

"While there we found plant roots growing into the pipes and we’ll be revisiting within the next few day with special equipment to remove them," a spokesperson said.

Surrey Comet: David ChurchleyDavid Churchley

They added that their team would meanwhile clean David's property of the sewage and offered him an apology.

"We’ll also fully clean up the affected front gardens and will investigate with our contractors why no cleaning was done when they first visited on Monday.

"We’re sorry for the delay in resolving the problem."