NEIGHBOURS living in a cul-de-sac say they are fed up with their homes flooding during spells of heavy rain.
At least 11 properties in Milton Close, Mickleover, have been left under water in recent years.
Two couples were forced to move out for six months.
Residents say the development of two housing estates has contributed to the problem – as rainwater is no longer being soaked up in the ground.
They say torrential rain sends water gushing down a cycle path and down into their street.
Sandbags have failed – and neighbours are now demanding Derby City Council invest in flood defences.
Margaret Churm, who lives at the end of Milton Close, was among those forced out of her home for six months.
She said: "In July last year, we had a month's rainfall in the space of 24 hours.
"We were given no protection – not even sandbags.
"It was like having a waterfall coming through the garage and into the house. The water came to the top of the skirting boards.
"The damage to our home must have been around £25,000.
"We had to move out for six months and so did next door.
"The ground can't take it when it rains heavy. There's not enough drainage.
"A couple of weekends ago there was torrential rain and it came up to the top of my wellies. Two houses were flooded. All the neighbours were out sweeping the water away. We didn't get to bed until 1.45am.
"We have now been given sandbags but people keep pinching them."
Margaret's husband, Bob Churm said, at times, the cycle path had been turned into a river. "It was that bad last year, you could go canoeing in it," he said.
Neighbour Adrian Ballin-ger said: "Part of the problem is there is a broken pipe. We assume it's there to take the water down past our properties.
"All the authorities have done is made recommendations of what we can do ourselves. Those recommendations would cost me £4,000-£5,000. They're not doing anything themselves."
Stefan Czuplak, who lives at the top of the street, said his property had been flooded four times.
He said: "We've had two new housing estates been built over the past 10 years and another two are on the way. This compounds the problem – the hardground means the rainwater flows down into our street."
Fellow resident Jayne Pearce said the problems were extremely frustrating. "No one can move because no one can sell," she said.
A Derby City Council spokesman said the authority has applied for funding from the Environment Agency to address the flooding problems in Milton Close but would not say for how much money the council had applied.
