A COUPLE are upset after a mysterious leak in their neighbours’ empty house has caused their garden to flood.

Sharon and Ian Boalch, of Ash Avenue, Worcester, were horrified to find their lawn has been left “spongy” after their garden was flooded for over a week.

The couple say a property which is up for auction two gardens behind them, in Brickfields Road, has experienced a water leak since the owner died recently.

Mrs Boalch, 51, said she was confused when she went out in her garden on Sunday (September 20) and saw water at the bottom of the garden.

She added: “I didn’t think much to it because I had the hose pipe on a few days before and assumed I left the hose pipe on.

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“It was dry weather last week. Even if we have flash flooding, the next morning it’s drained away, this hasn’t. It looks fresh. My lawn is now spongy.”

Mr Boalch, aged 57, contacted Worcester City Council, Severn Trent and police about the problem.

He said: “We are worried about the foundations of our shed, greenhouse and summer house. All the borders are full of water. It’s been getting worse.”

An officer from Severn Trent inspected the property in Brickfields Road.

A Severn Trent spokesman said: "We’ve been out and confirmed that there is a leak on private property. As we’re not responsible for fixing private leaks, we’ve let those who are responsible to fix it aware."

Mrs Boalch said: "I’m worried, especially because I’m trying to sort my garden out before winter. It’s going to completely flood the sun house. We lock the summer house for the winter and don’t touch it in the winter months. I have electrics in their too.

“I can’t do any jobs around that bit affected. I have expensive bushes I have bought over the years and had as present and I am worried it will rot them.

“My garden slopes down, but the water is creeping up – the water is rising. I tried to dig up my weeds as they love fresh water but they keep coming back.”