MARKS & Spencer closed the food department at its Oxford city centre store yesterday afternoon after it was reportedly flooded with sewage.

A spokeswoman for the firm said the food hall, in the Queen Street branch, closed from 2pm “following a flooding issue”, and the rest of the store was still open while the problem was investigated.

Shopper Betty Fletcher, a member of Oxford Flood Alliance, said she was in the store at 1pm and it “stank of sewage”.

Mrs Fletcher, 72, of Northway, Oxford, said: “Staff stopped us using the toilet and an assistant told us they had seen sewage coming up through the floor.”

The firm said it hoped to be open as normal today.

  • Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone's contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.


Our top stories