RAW sewage has poured into York’s River Foss and residents’ gardens and garages following a sewer main burst.

The Environment Agency is investigating whether the spillage in Haxby last Saturday was partially responsible for fish becoming distressed and dying in the river downstream in York, two days later.

One Haxby resident claimed the burst erupted through the road surface in Landing Lane like a ‘major explosion of sewage,’ while others complained at how long it took Yorkshire Water to come and mend the pipe.

York Press: The road damaged by the burst sewer pipe in Haxby

One posted on Facebook: “Six hours since it began and still Yorkshire Water guys not turned up.” Another said : "Why the delay in attending to this burst? The location of a mains water pipe running near a sewage works surely should be a Yorkshire Water and Environment Agency major concern.”

Yorkshire Water said the rising main at a pumping station had burst, causing a sewage escape to the local environment, but heavy rain in the area on Saturday had led to a spike in demand for its teams.

“Once we arrived at Landing Lane, we worked quickly to isolate the pumping station, implement tankering and begin the repair to reduce the impact on residents and the environment as quickly as possible,” said a spokesman.

York Press: A garden flooded in Haxby following the sewer burst Picture:

He said the gardens and garages of some properties nearby were impacted. “We understand how unpleasant flooding of any kind can be and we are working with residents to complete a full clean-up operation,” he said.

“We have now conducted a repair on the rising main and the pumping station has returned to full capacity. We continue to work with the local authority to reinstate the road.”

The Environment Agency said it responded quickly to reports of dead and distressed fish in the Foss in York city centre on Monday, identified low dissolved oxygen and some elevated ammonia levels and began a pumping operation to try aerate it. While a small number of fish died, the increase in oxygen levels saved many more.

York Press: Picture tweeted by the Environment Agency, showing the operation to aerate the River Foss to try to save hundreds of fish

It was investigating whether weed and algal growth brought on by warm weather led to decreased oxygen levels and also whether the sewage spill may have contributed to them.