Greenock family with manhole in flood-hit garden blast housing bosses

Parents-of-five Paul and Paula Graham told the Telegraph that River Clyde Homes has failed to fix their 'nightmare' issues despite a series of visits over the last FIVE YEARS.

The couple, of Lyle Street, thought their children would be able to use the back garden when they moved into their home in 2018.

But they say it has been a no-go zone because of persistent foul-smelling water - and the hazardous hole. 

READ MORE: Inverclyde Council backs proposals for new hydro-electric scheme in Inverkip

Paul and Paula say that RCH have covered the manhole with an array of items, including wood, a metal sheet and two traffic cones.

Paula said: “When we first moved in the back was left with beds and bits of everything and hundreds of weeds that needed cut.

“We pulled up all the weeds and moved all the junk and stuff, but we didn’t know the manhole was there – we even had a trampoline over it at one point.

“We noticed something as we were skimming away at the surface and realised there was something underneath.

“HomeFix Scotland eventually came out and were digging in the garden, they told us that they’d basically found a manhole and dug it out.

“We had been using the garden not realising it was underneath.

“It’s unbelievable.”

The couple say the back green floods every time it rains and they are constantly cleaning up the mess.

They are calling on River Clyde Homes to fit a proper cover on the manhole and help them fix their drainage nightmare.

Paula said: “The drain really needs a cover, my kids are well warned about it but there are so many kids around the back of these houses.

“The kids jump through the backs of the houses sometimes and they could trip or fall through.

“I’m constantly stressed about not being able to get out and not being able to dry my washing.

“The water is horrible, when you see a reservoir with that green stuff lying on the top, that’s what’s in our garden.

“It’s a complete nightmare."

Paula added: “It’s the false hope they give you, when they come out and speak to you face-to-face and they give you all the ideas.

“You’re saying to yourself ‘brilliant, I can’t wait’. They say it’ll be made a priority and then there’s no work started.”

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Paul said that he has repeatedly asked River Clyde Homes to slab the garden and fill in the drain.

He added: “We don’t have a garden at all basically.

“We were lucky we never let the kids out the back because before we found that drain they could have been jumping or running about and fallen through it.

“The big problem is that the smell makes the neighbours unhappy, they sit out there in the summer and our back garden stinks.

“They’re great with us, they’re complaining about the smell but it’s not fair and it’s embarrassing.

“Our floors have been completely ruined, the muck splashes everywhere when you’re taking your shoes off at the back door.

“This has been going on for years and it’s still not sorted.

“The neighbours have got slabbed gardens or grass for their kids to play in and we’ve just got muck.”

A River Clyde Homes spokesperson said: “Our team visited the site to carry out a visual inspection of the site and have made temporary repairs to ensure the area is safe.

“We are investigating ownership of the manhole and once this is identified we will work to undertake a permanent repair.

“Once complete, we will conduct further investigations and attempt to identify what may be causing drainage issues in the garden area.

“We apologise for the delay in finalising these works.”