Family's battle over bog garden

Michelle Dorrell said it was possible to sink several inches in some places

A family whose back garden was turned into a bog by an underground spring say they have had to wait for months for the council to take action.

Matthew and Michelle Dorrell moved into their council-owned house in Folkestone, Kent, in December, which was when they discovered the problem.

They said Shepway council officers visited the property, but did nothing.

Housing officer Bob Porter said on Thursday action was being taken and the council acted as quickly as it could.

"As we've become aware of the severity of the problem, we've taken action to arrange short-term measures and to investigate the possible long-term solution," he added.

Lilies and trees

Mr and Mrs Dorrell said the garden in Ingoldsby Road was wet when they saw the house in November before moving in, but they thought the reason was the rain.

When they moved in a month later, they realised there was a spring.

They said it was so waterlogged it was dangerous for their three children to play there.

Mrs Dorrell said it was possible to sink into the ground several inches in some places.

She said the council first told her there was "nothing they can do" and then came round "scratching their heads" and said they were "not sure what they could do, if anything".

Her neighbour Louise Hatton said she planted lilies and trees to absorb the water, but she still had to put boards down in order to walk across her flooded garden.

A council statement on Thursday said solutions could include diverting the "naturally-occurring spring" to a surface water drain - or raising the garden level but without redirecting the water to other houses.

It added: "We will immediately be making arrangements to fill in the lowest areas of the garden affected by the spring and this should ease the problems."

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The family struggle in the muddy garden