SEWAGE is pouring out of a pavement in the city centre – but a nearby resident was told she would have to pay a charge before anyone comes out to investigate it. The pipe burst is at the junction with Lattimore Road and London Road, St Albans, and is maki

SEWAGE is pouring out of a pavement in the city centre - but a nearby resident was told she would have to pay a charge before anyone comes out to investigate it.

The pipe burst is at the junction with Lattimore Road and London Road, St Albans, and is making it difficult and unpleasant for people to pass.

Ros Wilcox, landlady of The Farmers Boy in London Road who lives nearby, had to make three phone calls this morning before she got through to Thames Water to report the leak.

To her amazement she was told that she would have to pay a �38 diagnostic charge there and then before someone would come out to look at it.

Ros said: "I phoned 118 118 and then an 0800 number which was followed by an 0845 number only to be told had I got a debit card so I could pay the �38 diagnostic charge or they wouldn't come out.

"It really smells and is very unpleasant for anyone walking through there. I thought they would come out."

A spokesperson for Thames Water apologised and said Ros should not have been expected to pay as she was just reporting the incident.

As a result of the leak being reported, an engineer would be going down before the end of the week to ascertain whether the repair was down to them or a private company.