A BROKEN sewage pipe is flooding a scout group's camping ground with raw waste.

Waltham Abbey Scout Group have repeatedly complained to Thames Water that a pipe near their base at Elphwood Hall, Cornmill car park, has burst five times this year.

Scout leader Ken Stanger said: “It first broke five years ago and we all have a problem with it. We have lost income from it. We hire our hall for weddings and they don't exactly like the idea of having a hall with sewage flowing around it. It's embarrassing.

“We have had to cancel a number of camps. We don't want them waking up swimming in raw sewage. As group scout leader I have a duty of care to these kids. My first priority is health and safety.”

Waltham Abbey Town Council's recreation and amenities manager Ken Coates said he had been talking to Thames Water about replacing the pipe which he claimed is no longer fit for purpose.

He said: “The pipe's quite old so it's failing. It takes the sewage from Highbridge Street and the Gunpowder Mills. They put in all these new developments and they don't upgrade the sewers. It's bursting under the pressure.

“We are looking for Thames Water to replace the whole pipe. If not it'll keep happening.”

Mr Stanger said: “We have had a battle with Thames Water. All they do is repair the pipe they are very reluctant to fix it.

“It's the usual thing- 'We are looking into it. We'll send someone down' but no-one actually seems to do anything. It's like most things, you can't rely on them to do it. It's dangerous and they don't seem to care.”

A spokeswoman for Thames Water said: “We are sorry for the disruption and inconvenience these bursts have caused. This is unacceptable and we are treating it as a priority.

“Local residents can be assured that we are working on resolving the issue.”