Couple ask Yorkshire Water for £39,000 after cellar flood

Steven and Tracy Ashmore are seeking £39,000 from Yorkshire Water after a leaking sewage pipe flooded the cellar of their home in Chapeltown, Sheffield. They say delays and problems with the repair left the cellar persistently wet, raising fears of lasting damage and prompting them to take legal action.

The couple say the leak began in June, when about an inch of water appeared, and the pipe was replaced a week after the initial visit. They claim the hole was later refilled poorly and that water continued to seep into the cellar; Yorkshire Water says staff returned several times and apologised for the distress caused. The claim includes £22,000 for cellar repairs, with the remainder covering pumps and loss of income.