A woman is living under the threat of floods despite living on the ninth floor in a block of council flats.

Betty Short's home was flooded with foul waste water during the festive season when the flats'

drains became blocked.

Waste from the drains, which included ripped clothing, cat litter, empty bottles and toilet paper, gushed into her home, ruining her carpets.

The waste also caused large chunks of plaster to fall off the walls of the flat in Essex Place, Montague Street, Brighton.

Officials from Brighton and Hove City Council are still trying to track down the person responsible for clogging up the drains in the 16-storey building.

Mrs Short, 63, whose husband died two years ago at Christmas, said: "It ruined my Christmas and New Year. I was so distressed on New Year's Eve I even thought about taking an overdose.

"I felt the council had abandoned me and I just wanted to get out of it myself."

Mrs Short first noticed a problem in October but it was not until Christmas Eve that the water really started pouring in.

Council workers were called out several times to unblock the drains but each time they became blocked again until on New Year's Day they completely flooded the flat.

Mrs Short said: "It has just been really miserable.

I was trying to eat Christmas dinner with a stinky, smelly carpet.

"The stuff coming out of the drain included clothing, lumps of wood, jay cloths and cat litter as well as Christmas lights.

"I don't know who puts the stuff down the drains like this but it is disgusting.

The minute it starts raining it just all comes down again.

"This has been my home for the last ten years and I have never had this problem before."

A council spokesman said officers were aware there had been a recurring problem with the drains.

He said: "We have not been able to establish who is doing this, or why they are doing it, and we very much regret these inconsiderate acts have resulted in such inconvenience.

"We have assured Mrs Short we will make good the damage to her flat.

"Housing officers also visited all the upper floor flats.

"They spoke to all the residents and left leaflets in order to bring this problem to their attention and ask all residents to dispose of litter and unwanted items properly.

"We are also planning to make a number of improvements to the drainage systems at Essex Place to try to make sure this problem does not happen again."