A COUPLE living in sheltered housing in Oakley said they’ve had to put up with “stinking sewage” seeping into their garden for months.

Archie and Susan Neilson, of Link Road, said that when it rains, the disgusting effluent flows onto their property from a strip of land that separates their home from the empty shop next door.

Archie, 63, said: “There’s been an ongoing problem on the common land next to the shop with a build-up of grease, fat and rubbish and stinking sewage spilling over into our garden.

“There’s an old road sign and bits of fencing there too.

“I’ve been on to Fife Council about it since Christmas. They moved some of the rubbish from the front of the shop but nothing about the bit down the side, next to our home.

“Scottish Water came out on Friday and dug a trench as every time it rains, all the sewage was running up the path and into our back garden.”

The empty shop is one of three units on Link Road, with the other two occupied by the Spar shop and the Spice of Life Indian takeaway.

Archie added: “We’ve both got underlying health problems, I had a lung out in 2018 and my wife has one kidney and COPD.

“She’s had a number of chest infections too and all the problems here haven’t helped.”

Dunfermline and West Fife SNP MP Douglas Chapman said: “I have been in touch with Fife Council with regards to Mr Neilson’s problem with sewage in his garden.

“This is a very unpleasant situation for Mr Neilson and his wife to find themselves in and I will be working to make sure we can find a solution to this issue for them as soon as we can.”

Fife Council told the Press it was an issue for Scottish Water.

However, a Scottish Water spokeswoman said: “Scottish Water investigated this issue and found no fault on its sewer network. The customer was informed this was a private drainage matter caused by a build-up of fats, oils and grease (FOG) from one or more premises in the area.

“We will follow up this issue, including contacting any business or other premises where FOG is being put into the network preventing the free flow of the public sewer.

“Scottish Water urges everyone to remember our 3Ps rule – to only put pee, poo and (toilet) paper down the loo and not to put fats, oils and grease down drains as this can lead to blockages which can cause flooding and pollution.”

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