A “bubbling stream” of raw sewage is causing misery for businessmen who have to deal with the filthy water gushing from a drain when it rains.

Malcolm Taylor, who runs MF Taylor garage in Thackley Old Road, Shipley, said customers had to park in the sludgy water in wet weather.

“The sewage runs down the road and onto the footpath,” he said. “There’s condoms floating in it and all sorts, and it smells.

“Customers always park their cars across the road. It goes on the wheels and when I’m doing an MOT test I have to handle the wheels and get it on myself.”

He is concerned that more rain during winter will only worsen the problem. “Any time we get anything, any rain, up comes the drain and it comes up,” he said.

Mr Taylor is frustrated the problem has not been fixed, despite months of phone calls to Bradford Council and several visits by workmen jet-washing the drains.

Stephen Stead, a director at neighbouring JW Stead & Son which manufactures industrial supplies, said the problem started during heavy rain in August last year.

“The water contains sewage waste and is most unpleasant for pedestrians, staff and visitors,” he said.

“Every time there’s heavy rain this sewage just bubbles up. Raw sewage and all the usual things come out.

“You’ve got to be careful when you see a car coming – you run for cover. It’s like a bubbling stream.”

A Yorkshire Water spokesman said the company was aware of the problem.

She said: “It does appear that there is sewage in what should be only water draining off nearby roads, and we suspect that there is a cross-connection further up the system.

“We have done some initial dye-testing to try to identify the potential source, but this hasn’t been successful and we need to do a much more comprehensive survey, which will take time to arrange.

“We would like to apologise to the customers affected while we work closely with the Council to resolve this complex issue.”

A Council spokesman said: “We have tried to unblock this culvert using a jetting system but because the flow of water is too high at the moment this has not worked.

“When the water flow eases we can empty the chamber to see what the problem is and work with Yorkshire Water to come up with a solution.”