FED-UP residents living in Exmouth s New Street have voiced their anger at authorities responsible for the welfare of the area.

FED-UP residents living in Exmouth's New Street have voiced their anger at authorities responsible for the welfare of the area.

Smells emanating from blocked, unmaintained drains; flood sandbags dumped and paint etched on pathways for workmen to use - workers, who homeowners claim never turn up - are just some of their problems, writes Graham Britton.

Tim Cope, 48, who owns the Glory Hole, a second-hand furniture and antiques shop on the street, said the lack of attention paid to the road by the council and their sub-contractors was a joke.

He added: "If you put this ongoing saga on television - it would be pure comedy.

"It's a mess down here. It paints a bad picture for Exmouth because this is the second to last street people passing by walk near before getting to the town centre."

Tim said there had been horrendous smells coming from blocked drains in the last two weeks.

Devon County Council said, having inspected a drain in New Street, a gully was found to have had a missing rodding eye cover. This stops the smell of the sewer going back into drains.

South West Highways replaced the cover last week.

But, Tim said: "They came and didn't have the right tools so they took a carrier bag from me, filled it up with sand and blocked where the rodding eye is.

"Last week, you struggled to stand in my shop because the smell was so bad. It's like having an open sewer down here."

Tim, who feared the problem would return, explained: "What needs doing is for a gully cleaner to be used, empty the drains and maintain them more regularly.

"We had bad rain three weeks ago and yet sandbags are still left hanging around at the bottom of the street.

"There seems to be mass confusion as to who is responsible for each problem. You call people, for instance, and they say 'it's not an issue for us' and refer you to South West Water.

"They then say 'it's not our responsibility' and pass you on to Devon County Council."

Chris Bridle, 53, owner of the Phoenix, said "The drain near my pub fills up when it rains and the smell comes over my wall, into my back yard and into the toilets.

"It's been a problem for months."

Dallas Schofield, 77, who lives in New Street, said: "The whole road is a problem. Because of the hot weather we have had, there has been an awful smell.

"What is the point of getting annoyed with the authorities - they don't do anything.