A WATER firm is warning people not to flush wet wipes down the toilet or risk flooding homes with sewage.

Wessex Water says Salisbury is among the worst-affected areas in the region with operators unblocking one sewer every day, on average.

Head of wastewater strategy Matt Wheeldon is encouraging people to bin wet wipes.

“Unfortunately, people are flushing these down the toilet not realising that they are causing blockages, often further down the system,” he said.

“Not only is it unpleasant, it puts theirs and their neighbours' homes in danger and the clean-up costs and disruption can be significant.”

Wessex Water has written to supermarkets and manufacturers to raise concern about how wet wipes are labelled, but said it had received a “disappointing” response.

The firm said it would continue to press manufacturers to reconsider using the word “flushable”.