A WATER company is appealing to the public not to use their toilets as a rubbish dump after finding false teeth and even bullets in the sewer system.

United Utilities, which has wastewater treatment works in Bolton, Belmont and Horwich, has also found a wad of used bank notes, dead dogs and a railway sleeper in its sewers after being dumped down manholes.

Today is National Toilet Day and United Utilities is using it to ask the public to use their loos responsibly.

Engineers from the company are urging customers to think before they flush, in order to avoid the mess and expense of blockages and sewer flooding.

Sewage expert, Ian Reynolds, said: “Each of us spends three years of our lives on the loo, yet few people think about the hidden world beyond the U-bend.

“It’s a case of out of sight, out of mind. Flushing away inappropriate items can cause blockages or sewer flooding, which can be an incredibly messy, unpleasant and expensive business.

“Over the years, our engineers have come across an astonishing range of items in the sewers, which have either been flushed away, or dumped through manholes.

“These have ranged from small items such as underwear and nappies, to a 45-gallon drum and a motorbike.

“We’ve even found bullets from World War Two, false teeth and a huge wad of cash.”

According to the Consumer Council for Water, three-quarters of all sewer blockages, and half of all cases of sewer flooding, are caused by people putting items they should not down the toilet or sink.

The most common problem items include toilet cleaning cloths, face wipes, baby wipes, cotton wool, tampons, sanitary towels, condoms, nappies, razor blades, plasters and oils and fats.

Although the water companies maintain public sewers, households are responsible for any drainage pipes within a property’s boundary. The expense of unblocking these can deliver a hard blow to the pocket.

Mr Reynolds added: “When you put an inappropriate item down the loo, you could well be flushing money away, too. If in doubt, leave it out.”