United Utilities has released shocking photos of the ‘fatberg’ problem that was responsible for sewer bursts in the A49 which caused the road to collapse.

The A49 Preston Road in Standish was reopened on Saturday after nearly three weeks of repairs to the main sewer which burst three times.

Engineers say it was all down to one of the worst cases of a fat blockage they have ever seen.

David Stock, who looks after the sewer network in Wigan for United Utilities, supervised the repair process. He explained:

“The sewer was completely blocked with fat and grease which caused pressure to build in the pipe, and eventually it burst.”

The sewer actually runs uphill so it has to be pumped. It is a sealed pipe which operates under pressure without the usual manholes to check flows, so the fat was only discovered after two repairs had already been completed.

United Utilities says it deals with around 28,000 blockages on the North West’s sewers every year. The company is now going to write to the 30 households and businesses served by the pipe to explain the problems caused by pouring fatty waste away down the sink.

David Stock added:

“Many people don’t think twice about pouring fat and oil down the drain with hot water and washing up liquid, but it’s a real problem. The fat only travels so far before it cools down and coats the inside of the pipes and over time you get a fatberg. The consequences in this case were horrendous for all the drivers who use Preston Road.”