Eighty-eight year old John Smith hoped meeting Anglian Water officials would lead to a surface water drain in his garden, which regularly floods, being fixed after nine years of hassle.

But the Elliott Road resident says the problem is no closer to being fixed.

Mr Smith first reported flooding to Anglian Water in 2005 and had more than 12 inches of water in his garden after the August flash floods.

He said: “I had a visit from the two Anglian Water managers and they said they cleaned out the chamber, but it’s still blocked.

“When the lid was lifted on Monday it was still full of water. Nothing had been done. I may be getting on but I’ve not lost my marbles. I feel like David against Goliath. They’ve got no intention of clearing the blockage.”

Mr Smith’s version of events is disputed by Anglian Water, who insist the drain is not blocked.

Antony Innes, from Anglian Water, said: “During the meeting we explained to him what work we have already done, we showed him a map of the location of the sewers and drains in the area, and outlined what further investigations will be taking place.

“This included jetting the drain clear in August – work that was carried out by our own engineers – and sending a CCTV camera into the sewer, which is taking place this week. This will check the drain’s condition, and show that it is not blocked.

“This is a surface water drain which carries rain water directly into the river. It’s therefore not surprising that there is some water in it, depending on river levels. Any problems that we do find will of course be put right.”