A “monster” fatberg has been discovered lodged in a major Sussex sewer.
Southern Water says the 50kg (110lbs) blockage was found in Horsham after it received reports of blockage problems.
A fatberg is a rock-like mass of waste matter in a sewer system formed by non-biodegradable solids, fat and oil.
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Teams used heavy jets and other equipment to remove the build-up of waste materials.
The Sussex area manager for the company said they caught it just in the nick of time.
Roger Williams said: “Sewer blockages caused by wet wipes and other unflushables, like sanitary products and nappies combined with fat, oil and grease from home cooking or food establishments, are all too common.
“Fatbergs are the number one cause of pollution in our area.
“Fortunately, we arrived in time to destroy this monster.”
Southern Water said the fatberg could have “led manholes to overflow, homes and businesses to flood or even to pollution in nearby water courses”.
And this isn’t the company’s first fatberg rodeo.
Southern Water has to tackle an incredible 50,000 blockages every year, as reported by Need To Know.
Mr Williams said: “This blockage was on a major 450mm sewer so the chances are a food business is involved but domestic blockages are far more common.
“Most people don’t realise the sewer pipe is only the diameter of an ordinary orange.”
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