Raw sewage has flooded a residential park after storm pumps failed to cope with recent heavy rain.

Southern Water is investigating after the drains flooded twice during the past week causing sewage to flow into the park.

The land, at the corner of College Road and Ringmer Road, Seaford, is often used as a play area by local children.

Contractors were called to clean up the area last Friday and yesterday afternoon.

Teacher Scott Clark, 32, of Ringmer Road, said: "I spoke to the contractors who said they were in the process of disinfecting the area.

"They said it was because the storm drains could not cope with the rain and every time it rained this would happen again.

"Southern Water has not even bothered to come to clean it up. They have sent out some cleaning contractors instead.

"Children play in that park and it is absolutely disgusting this is allowed to happen. They haven't even said when they are going to sort this out.

"It is supposed to rain this weekend. What are we supposed to do? When the sun comes out I imagine it will smell of sewage. I already thought I could smell it yesterday.

"There was grey sludge across the park and three sewage trucks parked up. I had to drive over an 8-inch pipe as I drove into town.

"It is one of the few green spaces in the area and kids play football there. Now they will be forced to play in one of the parking lots.

"I don't even think people know what is going on. They just think there is excess rainwater. The contractors told me they did not know when the problem would be sorted out.

"I do not want to live in a place where they have to disinfect the park every time it rains for an indefinite period of time."

A Southern Water spokeswoman said: "Unfortunately the storm pumps failed to kick in and staff attended the site as soon as they were made aware of the issue.

"Our contractors are carrying out a clean-up operation and there is a full investigation to determine the exact cause and make sure it does not happen again."

The spokeswoman confirmed that sewage had flooded from the drains on two occasions but said, due to the large amount of rainfall, this would have been "quite diluted".