A GILLINGHAM cafe staged a ‘quacking’ protest over drainage problems that cause flash flooding outside the eatery.

The Filling Station, on Lower Station Road, said they frequently see flooding in their car park and on the road outside the premises when the heavens open.

However, they say repeated pleas for action to Dorset Council and Wessex Water have proved fruitless.

Dorset Council says it regularly flushes the system, but there remains an issue with the water mains, managed by Wessex Water.

During some heavy downpours last week, cafe owner Malc Clarke decided to stage a symbolic demonstration, placing ducks on the huge puddle outside The Filling Station.

Ducks on the puddle outside The Filling Station cafe, in Gillingham

“We’ve been open for just over three years now and any time you get any rain, it goes halfway across the road,” he said.

“I have to rush out to get the furniture in.

“Last year, we turned up to find the water company had dug up a hole in our car park. They didn’t find anything so they filled it back in.

“Then they dug up another great big hole, but that didn’t work either.

“They did the same on our grass which didn’t work, so they had to reseed it.”

Although staged in good humour, Malc and wife Carol said they turned to the ducks in desperation.

“We thought, ‘nothing seems to be happening’,” Mr Clarke said. “We ordered these ducks online; we just wanted to raise awareness really and thought they were funny.

“In the end, six of the seven ducks were stolen by school kids.”

And it’s the children he worries about more than his own business.

Sadly, youngsters have taken away most of the ducks, hopefully to a good home…

“We’ve worked hard to build a good reputation with regular clientele,” Mr Clarke added.

“I’m most worried about the school kids walking to the train station.

“If anyone comes in, I send them out the patio doors. Even at 25 mph, the cars create 3ft of water.”

A Dorset Council spokesperson said: “There is a blockage issue with the mains that belong to Wessex Water and this in turn does not allow our drains to clear.

“We periodically flush our system to alleviate the issue and are doing so again.

“We are also making Wessex Water aware that their system needs attention so that the issue can be rectified.”

Wessex Water declined to comment on the issue, as they said roadside drainage is the responsibility of the council.