A HOMEOWNER hopes that his is one of 10 properties earmarked by Severn Trent Water as part of an £800,000 project to end sewer flooding.

Mark Purser's garden in Bath Road, Worcester, used to flood with excrement, condoms and sanitary wear after heavy rain.

One year, the ground floor of his home filled with two feet of sewerage water, costing thousands of pounds of damage to carpets, furniture and electrical equipment.

"We had to rip everything up and throw it away," said the 46-year-old.

"It used to happen regularly every time there was a storm."

Neighbour Enid Haskell experienced similar problems.

"It was dreadful," said the 76-year-old. "In 2002, it came up the pipe and spurted up like a shower in the garden."

Since Severn Trent Water fitted a valve in their gardens the problem appears to have been solved and they have not experienced severe flooding.

Now the company has announced that it plans to spend about £800,000 in sewer modernisation in Worcestershire, as part of a £2.3bn investment programme in the Midlands over the next five years.

Properties earmarked for investment include six in Bewdley, four in Worcester's Victoria Street, costing about £305,000 and three in Whites Road, Worcester, costing about £230,000.

Severn's Gren Messham, director of asset management and technology, said: "Sewer flooding is unacceptable in this day and age, but we're having to cope with the demands of the 21st Century with a system largely designed in the 19th. That has to change and we'll do all we can to make sure our customers get the protection they deserve."

The investment has been made possible following OFWAT's review into water charges which saw customers' bills increase by 15.2 per cent in 2005.