AN INVESTIGATION has been launched by Thames Water after Witney town centre was flooded for the third time in as many years.

Less than a year since the last floods devastated the town, businesses were mopping up again last week, following heavy rain.

Raw sewage and rubbish poured into the Royal Oak pub, in High Street, after drains behind the pub blocked.

Elsewhere, water covered the floor of the Cross Keys pub, in Market Square, which was forced to close until Monday, as well as nearby Somerfield supermarket and Boots.

Now Thames Water, which is responsible for the drains, is investigating if drain blockages caused the floods.

Today, it sent a camera down 725m of drains in High Street to find the root of the problem. If a blockage is found, the water board will wash it out, the company said.

Spokesman Amy Dutton said: “The camera is looking for blockages and defects, anything that may have added or contributed to the problem.

“Usually, the situation’s caused by blockages – people putting the wrong thing down the toilet or down the sink.”

Witney MP and Conservative Party leader David Cameron called for action to stop further floods.

He said: “I sympathise with those affected. Flooding is intrusive, devastating and the effects can be long-lasting.

“It has been my constituency priority since the terrible floods of 2007. I am holding meetings to discuss flood prevention in west Oxfordshire and will visit some of the affected businesses.

“I know what an anxious time it is for many of my constituents whose homes and businesses are affected when heavy rainfall occurs and flood warnings are issued.

“I will continue to push hard for further action to ensure people in west Oxfordshire know that everything that can be done will be done to reduce the future impact of floods.”

It is thought that damage caused by the floods last Thursday night could have caused up to £8,000 worth of damage at the Royal Oak.

Landlady Sam Semaine, 43, said: “It’s not fair that businesses keep claiming on insurance when clearly there is a problem somewhere.”

The Royal Oak was also flooded in 2007, along with 72 businesses and 1,631 homes.

In June last year, Max Weeden, 17, of Judds Close, Witney, died after he got trapped in 5ft of flood water in a culvert near Eastfield Road.

The Environment Agency, the district and county councils, Thames Water and Witney Flood Action Group are in talks about a scheme to ease flood problems in the area.