'Boffin' on the trail of sewer monsters

11 June 2010

A 'scientist' is kicking up a stink on YouTube about a monstrous problem growing in the sewers.

But don't worry - because we have got a crack team on the case to investigate.

The alert comes after we have had increasing numbers of call-outs from residents horrified to discover something nasty lurking round the u-bend - causing sewage to back up onto roads, gardens and even through toilets and sinks.

Boffin Richard Hubert has been posting creepy videos on YouTube and Facebook showing something strange lurking in the sewers and he's trying to get to the bottom of what's behind it.

Last year we scrambled our sewer squad on more than 15,000 operations to exterminate the slimy problem. 

Rose Francis of United Utilities said: "It might sound like a plot from the X-Files but the truth really is out there. By using the toilet as a rubbish bin people are storing up problems that could come back to haunt them."

Items such as cotton buds, nappies, sanitary products and razors are often flushed away and they can get stuck in the system until they build up and cause a blockage resulting in the horrible problem of sewer flooding. We are asking people to think about what not to flush to avoid any unwelcome visitors.

People can see what all the mystery is about by checking out Richard Hubert's profile on Facebook.