THE city’s fatberg scourge is spreading, with one Jericho street dubbed the “Piccadilly Circus” of sewers.

Despite starting a campaign to raise awareness in September, Thames Water admitted fatbergs – huge underground build-ups of congealed fat – were still a “big problem” in Oxford.

The company has had teams working around the clock to tackle them in recent weeks, including one in Park End Street.

The offending lump of fat is believed to have caused a couple living in Walton Crescent to be flooded with raw sewage for the third time since 2003.

Hoonie Feltham and her husband Hugh Palmer urged the community, restaurants and Thames Water to do more after their basement, which houses an office and a bedroom with an en suite, was flooded again.

Ms Feltham, 65, said: “It was awful, we had raw sewage flooding into flooding into our basement and we have a room we often rent out down there.

“It has happened three times now and I am at a loss as to what to do. “We are at a very low point in terms of ground level but this is a city-wide problem and something needs to be done.”

Her husband Mr Palmer said the bottom of his road was the “Piccadilly Circus” of Oxford’s sewer system and Thames Water confirmed the sewer in Richmond Road would be carrying waste water from as far away as Hythe Bridge Street and Park End Street.

Mr Palmer said raising awareness could help to alleviate the problem.

The freelance photographer said: “We have all gone from recycling nothing at all to quite a lot in the past few years so people could change their ways.

“I feel for Thames Water, they can advise restaurants and people what you can and can’t put down the drain but there are no powers to enforce it.

“Thames Water told us that even though the sewerage system was more than 100 years old it is self-cleaning and works very well. It’s just that it can’t deal with the baby wipes and nappies being put down toilets and fat down drains.”

The company also revealed a team had spent “hours and hours” working overnight earlier this month to break up fat in Park End Street.

To better understand the causes, Thames Water waste networks area manager Alex Saunders said about 250 food establishments had been visited since November.

He said: “We’ve recently visited about 250 food establishments in and around the city centre to find out how they dispose of fat and oil and maintain any devices they have for collecting it.

“To reduce the blockages it’s important we understand why the fat ends up in sewers and whether it’s due to financial restraints for example, or simply a lack of awareness or concern.

“We’re currently reviewing the outcomes of the visits so we can plan our next steps.”

Mr Saunders also said fat was not the only thing causing the blockages with residents flushing nappies, wipes and sanitary items also blocking up the sewers.

Fred Turner, manager of the Rickety Press in Jericho, said more could be done to raise awareness. He said: “We take steps to ensure our fat and oil is disposed of appropriately – we have it collected and taken away as well as our sanitary bins.

“I think it is a question of awareness, perhaps leaflets could be given to restaurants and businesses or maybe even free collections carried out.”