Two pensioners from Deal are concerned that blocked drains have caused flooding in their home.

Derek Tills, 84, and his sister Anne Tills, 80, live in Campbell Road and since September water has been leaking into the basement underneath a grill that covers the road.

Mr Tills has contacted Kent County Council as he believes this is surface water from the street due to blocked drains which need to be fixed. KCC claims this is not the case and that it is the homeowners’ responsibility to ensure the premises is watertight.

Mr Tills said: “It must be an old fractured drain. It’s all delaying tactics. It’s been going on since the beginning of September.

“It’s contaminated water from the road.”

Miss Tills said she has lived in the house for 60 years and there has never been problems like this before. Usually the water would be able to flow away.

Both Mr Tills and Miss Tills are in remission from cancer and say this has caused considerable stress during what is already a difficult time.

Mr Tills said: “I don’t think the council can afford to do it. I think they are waiting for us to die so they don’t have to do it. I don’t see why we should be the victims.”

A spokesman for Kent County Council said: “Our engineer inspected the road and checked the location of the gullies, drains and connecting pipes and found they flow away from Mr Tills’ basement.

“Because of this, we do not believe these to be the cause of the problems he has been experiencing.

“Our engineer has advised Mr Tills via his local district councillor of his findings and reminded him that it is the duty of the property owner to ensure that their basement is watertight.”