A developer has been ordered to make urgent improvements after clay washed off a building site in heavy rain and straight into nearby homes.

The clay ran off the site in Sutton Road and covered gardens and driveways of homes in Paygate, near Gore Court Road.

Kent County Council has told developers Bellway Homes to install better drainage and boundaries to the area of arable land in two weeks.

Homeowners spent nine hours clearing up the mess and foot-high water at 11am on Sunday.

Rosabella Duffus, 70, said: "I woke up late to what looked like an orange river running down the road, all the cars were moving at snail's pace.

"When I got downstairs it was like curry sauce had seeped in through the garage. I still can’t get out there or into the garden because it's clogged up with clay and is so slippery."

Fellow resident Mark Hall and wife Katie claim that a Bellway Homes site manager told them the situation was not the company's responsibility and that several emails from the couple have gone unanswered.

"I woke up late to what looked like an orange river running down the road..." - pensioner Rosabella Duffus

Known as Imperial Park, the building site is on a large clay field and will eventually provide around 285 homes.

It has never previously flooded. Building work started in February.

Maidstone Borough Council sent a street cleaning team to the row of seven houses to jet wash the pavements.

As it is a private street residents will have to claim for the rest of the damage on their insurance.

Katie Lewis, of Kent County Council, said: "We met with Bellway Homes representatives to discuss immediate action to prevent further flooding.

"We have asked that the necessary work be completed within 14 days."

A Bellway spokesman said a team was due to be sent to Paygate yesterday to help clean up and additional work has taken place to stop soil and water being left on the road.

"Our consulting engineers will carry out a detailed site evaluation this week to provide a more robust solution until permanent connections to public drainage systems have been made."