A water company has produced a hilarious new take on a Christmas carol warning residents not to block their drains with turkey grease over the festive period.

Southern Water employees have adapted The 12 Days of Christmas for an online video highlighting some of the weird and wonderful things that we drop down our toilets and plugholes.

More than 1,000 people from 16 countries including India and Mauritius have viewed the video since it went online last week.

The video sees the water company’s employees listing mobile phones, cuddly toys, knives and nappies among the items found in the county’s sewers.

And while the song is drawing smiles from web users, the matter of unwanted items down our drains is no laughing matter with about eight blockages a day caused by fat, grease and non-biodegardable debris in Sussex this year.

The water company has had to deal with 2,700 blockages in the county in 2012 including 285 in Brighton.

Southern Water staff who run tours of Brighton’s sewers told The Argus they often find engagement rings and false teeth coming through the system on weekends.

Festive fat

It is thought this phenomenon is down to alcohol with drunken couples arguing and then throwing their rings away in a fit of pique while people with dentures drink too much and then throw up their teeth into the toilet bowl.

Simon Parker, Southern Water’s head of wastewater, said: “The staff who look after our sewers were only too happy to take part, as they see first-hand the devastation sewer blockages can cause.

“The film is a fun and festive way to deliver this serious message to our customers.

“We always notice an increase in fat in the sewers around this time of year as so many people are at home cooking Christmas dinners and more fat than normal ends up down the sink.

“However, our message applies all year round – sewers and treatment works are built to deal with human waste, toilet paper and water.

“Anything else should be put in the bin.”

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