A family-of-six say they have days when they are “stuck inside their own home” due to a blocked drain directly outside their house.

Rachel Harman, who lives in Dymchurch Road, Hythe, claims the blockage has been gradually getting worse for the past five years and leaves the family unable to use their front door.

Mrs Harman, a seamstress, and her husband Tim have lived at the address for 18 years with their four children, who are aged between 16 months and 16.

They say Kent County Council (KCC) has done nothing to resolve the issue.

“It has been horrible,” said Mrs Harman. “The windows are a mess and the front of the house gets covered when cars drive over the water.

“There are some days we can’t leave the house!

“We are forced to use the back door and go through a muddy alleyway if we want to get anywhere.”

Mr Harman, a train driver, says he has contacted KCC more than 30 times in the past five years and is in disbelief that the problem has not been solved.

Heavy rain increases the flooding outside of the house and Mrs Harman, 36, spoke of the struggles over the winter months.

The mother-of-four added: “It is making me miserable.

“Some days it really wants to make me move home.

“But imagine trying to sell our house.

“People would come round for a viewing and not even be able to use the front door. It’s ridiculous”.

As well as the flooding leaving the family unable to use the front entrance, Mrs Harman says the water hitting the house has been causing mould and damp to the building.

She added: “The windows are a mess and the front of the house gets covered when cars drive over the water.

“It is causing damp.

“Our one-year-old has an ongoing cough. We have been to the doctors several times and I’m sure the mould is not helping with that.”

Mrs Harman says the latest information from KCC is that it is sending someone to take a look at the drain this month.

But, the family are not confident the authority will fix the issue.

“The last we heard is that they are sending someone on April 15.

“But who knows, I am not holding my breath,” she added.

A KCC spokesman says it will be working on the repairs later this month.

They added: “We are aware of reports of a blocked drain in Dymchurch Road, Hythe.

“So the works can be completed safely, officers have arranged for temporary traffic lights to be installed ahead of the drains being cleaned in mid-April.”