Members of a travelling community claim they are being forced to live with water “up to their ankles”, after the Highways Agency filled in a vital drainage ditch during M25 widening works.

Following heavy downpours over the past few days, travellers site Oaklands, in Bedmond Road, has been flooded.

But residents claim the fault of the flooding lies not just with the weather, but with the Highways Agency, after workers filled in the only drainage ditch.

Mary Watson, who owns the site and lives in a motor home there, first contacted the Watford Observer at the beginning of August.

She claimed that the residents’ safety was at risk, as highways workers had installed fencing which did not adequately shelter the community from motorway traffic while they carried out widening works.

Following a campaign, new fencing was erected weeks later, but the travellers claim Highways Agency contractors have caused yet another problem by filling in the ditch.

The 62-year-old grandmother said: “It’s just one thing after another with highways. First it was the fence and now it’s the drains.

“We have never ever had flooding of this level here before, it’s unbearable.

“Don’t get me wrong, we’re grateful that after repeated requests the fence has been installed.

“But as for the ditch, why they have filled that in with soil is beyond me. They have not considered where water collecting on the land will go.

“I’ve called the agency over and over again to tell them what’s happened, but each time I seem to be hitting a wall.

"They just don’t seem to care, perhaps it’s because we’re travellers, but that shouldn’t matter, we’re human beings just like everyone else.”

Residents of the site, which has been used by the community for the past 11 years, say they have had to throw out toys and belongings following water damage.

Mrs Watson said: “Getting in and out of our homes is turning into a nightmare as well – we all have to wear wellington boots just to cross the yard, or risk ruining our shoes.

“Then there is the fact that the kids living here can’t come out of their homes and play.

“We were forced to keep the children indoors to begin with because of the unsafe fencing, but now we can’t let them out because they might catch cold.

“It’s ridiculous, we're living ankle-deep in water. How can they treat us like this?”

The Highways Agency refused to confirm whether its workers were responsible for filling in the drains and why they might have been blocked off in the first place.

Jane Manning, spokeswoman for the Highways Agency, said: "We are in contact with the residents and are investigating their concerns.

"If any of the M25 widening work is found to be affecting drainage at Oaklands it will be corrected."