THIS week's heavy rains brought fresh misery to a city fish and chip shop owner.

Mrs Olive Litchfield, 54, has run the Frier Tuck, Belmont Road, for 15 years. Flooding in October caused about £7,000 worth of damage.

Further heavy rain in December brought more problems, with surface water flooding drains and making life unseasonably depressing for Olive and husband David.

Then came Monday's downpour to add to the misery. Olive was not resigned to her predicament. "The drains are blocked and the smell is awful," she complained. Water, she said was carried through a 9-inch pipe - "and we need a 2ft pipe to cope with this."

She said she had complained to the Highways Agency who had said that because the problem was on private land, it could not help.

Roy Stevens, contracts manager for Hereford north-western sewerage, said the council had a contract with Welsh Water for clearing blockages. However, the council could not instigate new works.