Villagers are furious that water has been left to leak on a road for four months - during a record-hot summer and period of drought.

Residents of The Street in Sholden near Deal are now getting used to what has become a small stream running for 60 yards past the fronts of six houses.

The case as been taken up by parish councillor Derek Wanstall who lives there.

He told KentOnline: "Residents have been asked to save water, yet the number of gallons lost through this leakage must be massive.

"It has been there when we have no rain whatsoever.

"It runs on people's driveways and you're standing in water when you get into your car.

"It's definitely a waste of water but also a health and safety issue for people at one property when they come down from their bungalow steps."

The matter was first reported on June 15 and since then Cllr Wanstall has contacted Southern Water and Kent County Council's highways department to get to the bottom of who needs to take the action.

It has come amid scorching temperatures this summer - with the highest-ever in the UK recorded at 40.3C on July 19.

A few weeks later, drought was declared in Kent on August 12 during the driest summer for 50 years.

Despite above average rainfall in September, the Environment Agency reported that as of September 20 national reservoir stocks were still at 52% of total capacity.

A Southern Water spokesman sais: "After being made aware of this incident, our specialist teams attended the site and carried out investigations.

“It was discovered that the water was coming from a blocked surface water drain cover opposite The Sportsman pub. This is the responsibility of Kent County Council to clear.

“We have notified the local authority."

A spokesman for Kent County Council said: "We have received an enquiry and will be investigating further to arrange the necessary works, if this is related to the highways surface water system."