Midlothian family returns from holiday to find garden flooded with sewage

A young family returned home from holiday to find their garden flooded with sewage after heavy rainfall burst drains on their estate.

Daryl Murray and his partner Lisa contacted developers Bellway Homes repeatedly after discovering the garden of their home under sewage coming from a drain beside their back door.

The smell from the drains also came into the house through their downstairs toilet.

Lisa said: “The smell in the downstairs toilet was just awful and it still lingers there, especially in the morning. It has been foul.”

Flooded slabs and artificial grass in Daryl Murray's garden. — Flooded slabs and artificial grass in Daryl Murray’s garden. LDRS

After weeks of no action, the developers only sent a team to fix the issue after a frustrated Daryl went public, sharing images of the flooding on social media.

Daryl, who lives with Lisa and their two children aged seven and 13 at the house in Stagg Park, Dalkeith, said no other family should have to go through their experience.

He said: “We came home to find the sewage flooding the slabs and artificial grass in our garden and contacted Bellway but nothing happened.

“I was going up almost daily asking what they were going to do but it was very frustrating and nothing happened.

Daryl Murray''s garden was flooded with sewage and Bellway have now started work to lay new slabs. — Daryl Murray”s garden was flooded with sewage and Bellway have now started work to lay new slabs. LDRS

“We couldn’t let the children play in the garden because of the mess and risk to their health.

“Bellway have now come and lifted the slabs and taken away the grass which was destroyed, but that was only after we contacted the press.

“It has been an appalling situation and something no other family should have to go through.”

Bellway Housing has been asked for a comment.

The family returned to their home from a holiday in the Lake District on November 18, when heavy rain had swept across Scotland.

Last week it was revealed a Bellway development in Elphinstone, East Lothian, also suffered water issues during last month’s downpours, when a water pond ‘overspilled’ and gardens of houses nearby were also flooded.

East Lothian Council’s planning committee was asked to give approval for 90 new homes on the edge of the village but only gave it the go ahead with a condition that flooding issues on the site were fixed before a single house is built.