CHESHIRE County Council is neglecting Council Tax payers in Castle because it does not have funding to pay for road maintenance.

Homeowners in Frida Crescent are suffering from persistent problems which have not been solved because there is no money to pay for road and drain repairs.

Vale Royal borough councillor Brian Cooke told the Guardian: "The problem stems from water running down Darwin Street, and collecting at the bottom of the hill.

"There's a problem with the kerbing collapsing and the drains not working properly.

"The county council has got no money to put things right.

"Why should they have to live like this? It's just not on, not in this day and age and not when they're putting the council tax up."

Ken Birtwistle, 69, moved to Frida Cresent 13 years ago and says the problem has exacerbated in the past few years.

He described the problem as being like living in a midden.' "It's basic lack of maintenance. There are cracks in the paving and the kerbing is falling into the road so when we get the rain, because we're at the bottom of a hill, it all holds.

"A couple of years ago we had a flood and there was toilet paper coming up from the drains.

"When it rains now we get flooded for days and then it gets muddy and it's just a filthy mess."

Mr Birtwistle considered refusing to pay his council tax, but decided against it.

"That's not the solution. But why should we have to live in this filth when we're paying our taxes?"

A spokeswoman for Cheshire County Council said the problem is caused by people parking on the verges which is a matter for the police to enforce.

She added: "We will be monitoring the situation."