RAW sewage has again escaped from a blocked sewer onto a York riverside cycle path and into the River Ouse, says a local councillor.

Fishergate councillor Andy D’Agorne said the escape onto the path near Skeldergate Bridge, which happened during flooding before Christmas, was clear evidence that a vent from the sewer was still blocked.

“Without the vent, there is still a risk that the grill beneath these doors gets blocked with material resulting in it being forcefully ejected into the air!” he said.

Yorkshire Water repaired the sewer after a burst had blocked the cycle and footpath for several weeks in the autumn, forcing cyclists and pedestrians to navigate muddy verges on either side.

A company spokesman said then that it understood the inconvenience caused by the issues at the cycle path and car park, which was why it had worked hard to fix them.

He added that Yorkshire Water was working alongside City of York Council on ways to alleviate pressure on the network.