DESPERATE residents are buying pumps to stop their homes from being flooded after one of the wettest years on record.

Parts of The Pound in Marlow are still under water this week with levels rising to the highest since the flooding began in November.

Thames Water has been sending in tankers to the town every day to combat the problem.

But homeowners have been warned that they could be pumping away effluent for another two months while the water table drops.

Roads affected are Little Marlow Road, Wycombe Road, Maple Rise, Newtown Road and The Pound.

Martin Williams, of Maple Rise, said: "There has been standing water in our garden and under our house since January. Since that time we have needed to contend with virtually continual effluent from the drain on our property because it cannot empty into the Thames Water sewer."

Red Foxes Nursery, based at Foxes Piece School, has been been cut off from the main drainage for four weeks. A tanker has been visiting the group each day to empty their system.

Mr Williams added: "Every time we use our washing machine, dish washer or empty the bath the waste water just floods out."

Andrew Boyd, a spokesman for the water company, said: "Most of the flooding is ground water which we can't do much about. We have visited Mr Williams and there is maybe a small amount of sewage making its way into his property from another drain. I would imagine this will continue until the water level drops."