AN ORPINGTON mother was trapped in her home for three and a half days after Thames Water blocked her way out with a mound of soil.
Fay Dwyer, of Lower Road, says Thames Water started repair works in her road on Saturday morning (October 19).
And when the mother-of-two tried go out on Saturday afternoon, she found soil had been piled onto the ramp outside her house.
She said: "They have trapped me in my house for the weekend.
"Saturday morning they were doing repairs to something. I wasn't aware that any works were going on until I saw the flashing light of the vehicles.
"On Saturday afternoon we saw the hole, the hole is on the street but what they have done is they have dug the hole and they have put a big mound of earth on the ramp.
"I could not get up and down the ramp at all.
"When I phoned Thames Water the woman said they are probably going to come back and fill in the hole but nothing happened and we kept getting fobbed off."
Mrs Dwyer claims she tried to call Thames Water twelve times over the next few days, but it wasn't until Tuesday afternoon that they eventually removed the mound.
The 38-year-old added: "I have told them I have a baby and a seven-year-old son and I could have been disabled for all they know.
"They did not have to dump the earth on my ramp.
"We told them and they did nothing.
"They should ensure the job they do is complete but to them it's not urgent but they have blocked our way and dumped stuff on our drive.
"I'm really very cross because I was stuck in the house.
"I cannot leave my baby in the house when I move the pram to the pavement and then come back and get my baby.
"The people we speak to on the phone are very apologetic but they are not acting on it.
"They could have done the work in a better way and they could have warned us."
A Thames Water spokesman said: "Leaks on customers' supply pipes account for a quarter of our leakage, which is why we offer to fix them for free even though it is the homeowners' responsibility.
"We were happy to help Mrs Dwyer but clearly have let ourselves down by blocking the path to her home, and therefore stopping her getting the buggy out.
"The soil has since been cleared and we apologise for any inconvenience this mistake caused the family."
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