A water company has apologised after raw sewage was seen pumping onto a common for days to the horror of neighbours.

Parts of Mitcham Common near Walton Way have been submerged all week in several inches of dirty-looking water after a blockage in the sewer meant waste was pouring out of a manhole at the edge of the field.

There have been reports the sewage covers about an acre of common land.

Thames Water has apologised for not resolving the problem, and visited the area yesterday to see what needed to be done.

Residents say the company has been slow to act after the sewage was reported to them on Tuesday by residents.

It is not the first time Mitcham Common neighbours have had to endure raw sewage problems.

Raw sewage spews from from sewers in Windmill Road by Commonside East, Mitcham

In May last year people were disturbed by County Clean Environmental Services tankers pumping out sewage from Windmill Road, at the junction with Commonside East after a suspected sewer blockage.

Thames Water apologised at the time to anyone affected by the work.

Pollards Hill ward councillor Martin Whelton said: “It is unacceptable people have had to wait so long.

"It is not the first time services from Thames Water have been a cause for concern for people in the local area.

"It looks a mess.

"There is sewage coming out of a drain."

He added it had caused a huge inconvenience to neighbours.

A Thames Water spokeswoman said yesterday: “We’re sorry we’ve not solved this problem yet. We visited the area on Tuesday after it was reported to us and have people going back there today to investigate further.”