A YOUNG couple claim they watched in horror as raw sewage pumped out of a sink plughole and flooded the kitchen of their new home. Excrement and toilet tissue spilled onto surfaces, across worktops and into drawers. , Marcus Meadowcroft and his partner Sarah Grundy spent hours cleaning and disinfecting the room and had to throw away kitchen utensils and equipment. The couple say the disgusting incident is just one of a number of problems they've suffered since moving into their brand new Jones' homes house on the Meadows estate at Middlebrook, Horwich, in January.
Jones' Homes deny responsibility for the sewage, saying it occurred because the couple had not plumbed their washer correctly.
But an independent plumber bought in by the couple concluded that the washer was fine and that the fault was due to blocked pipes at the site - the fault of the builders.
The couple are currently in an ongoing dispute with Jones' Homes about who is to blame.
MP Ruth Kelly says she will investigate.
Reliving the horror of seeing raw sewage flooding her kitchen, Sarah said she had never felt so sickened in her life.
She said: "This was the first home we'd bought together as a couple and it was meant to be a dream house. But we've had nothing but trouble.
"The sewage was disgusting. The smell was just unbelievable and the mess got everywhere. We had to throw out a lot of stuff."
What upsets the couple most is that throughout the two month nightmare at their new home they say that Jones' Homes has not apologised.
Sarah added: "We chose Jones' Homes because they told us they didn't offer any incentives to buy, such as free fittings, because they simply relied on their excellent reputation for their homes being built very well."
And other people at the site, it's claimed, have suffered too.
Mr Meadowcroft's next door neighbour on Holbeck Close said he had witnessed sewage rise from an outside drain and spill onto the patio.
A spokesman for MP Ruth Kelly said she had not received any official complaints. "But if people contact us we will investigate," the spokesman added.
Jones' Homes remain adamant that the incidence of sewage flooding Mr Meadowcroft's kitchen was caused by an incorrectly plumbed washer.
She added: "We will apologise to Mr Meadowcroft and his partner if that is what they want. We will say we are very sorry. We don't want them to be upset. But we've checked the drains on four occasions and it wasn't our fault."
When asked if Jones Homes was at fault for other plumbing problems at the house or for problems at other properties, the spokesman declined to comment.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article