Severn Trent: Seven metres of hair cogging Redditch pipe

The locks had grown over time into a messy mass and bunged up a part of the sewer system in Redditch.

Staff called to the blockage were initially scratching their heads until discovering the giant hairball, which they pulled out and laid end-to-end to show its full length.

James Mitchell, a jetting operative for Severn Trent, was called in to help clear the blockage after a customer reported repeated flooding after heavy rainfall.

Severn Trent staff were stunned to see the long messy locks (Image: Severn Trent Water)

He said: “I have never seen anything quite like this. We do get some build-up of hair occasionally in the sewers but nothing of this length – it was huge.

“It has obviously built up over a period of time, but the amount of hair is quite extraordinary – especially as it was all in a six-inch pipe too.”

Severn Trent staff had to deal with 34,580 blockages in the last year alone, despite their efforts helping prevent more than ten million litres of fats, oils and grease from entering the sewers.

Mr Mitchell, who has worked as a jetting operative for more than seven years, said basin and shower plugs and guards can be bought cheaply to prevent hair from going down into the sewers.

He added: “There are plenty of products out there to help prevent this kind of blockage. It is about changing habits and educating the public on what not to put down our sewers, things like fats, oils and greases which can solidify and cause fatbergs.”

The water company is supporting a nationwide Unblocktober campaign during October to urge the public to ‘Be a Binner, Not a Blocker’ to help protect our sewers - and prevent potentially costly blockages in their own homes.