FURIOUS homeowners have a "river" flowing down their residential street after a burst water pipe, which has flooded houses and gardens, has been left leaking for months.

Water began seeping through the road surface of Dough Bank, in Ombersley, three months ago and Severn Trent experts were immediately called to tackle the problem.

After confirming the fluid was water and perfectly safe, they claimed the pipe was not the company's responsibility as it was under the residents' road.

Since then, the leak has become a "fountain", pumping out thousands of gallons a day, with guttering and sandbags permanent street features to divert the free-flowing stream.

Severn Trent has now told the residents the pipe will cost £200 to fix.

"We are not happy paying the money but if they had told us in the first place, then we would have paid," said Wendy Evans, whose house has been affected.

"We have called a structural engineer as the damp is actually showing in the front room.

We are also looking to see if we can sue the company because it is a ridiculous situation when houses are damaged, gardens are like bogs and there is a river down the road.

"The whole street had to pay £10,000 for the upkeep of the road surface before this and if the water has damaged it further it could cost more."

Gill Turton, spokesperson for Severn Trent Water, said: "It's been a fraught three months, and because we don't have jurisdiction, as it's a private road, there had been nothing we could do until a single spokesman for the properties came forward."

The repairs will now take place tomorrow.