‘Monster’ 300-tonne fatberg blocking Birmingham sewers

The giant fatberg, estimated to be 1m high, might take until June to clear

Fatbergs are the result of non-biodegradable items combined with fat and oil that have been poured down drains. (PA)

A giant fatberg thought to weigh 300 tonnes is blocking a sewer beneath Birmingham.

The fatberg, which has been called “giant” and a “monster”, is estimated to be 1m (3ft) high and 1,000m (1,094yds) long.

Fatbergs are the result of non-biodegradable items - like wet wipes and nappies - combined with fat and oil that have been poured down drains.

It could take until June to clear the fatberg, water services company Severn Trent said, even though its staff have been working around the clock since the company was alerted by sewer sensors detecting rising water levels.   

“Our advice is to always leave leftover cooking fat to cool, before disposing of it in the bin and to stick to only flushing the three P’s (pee, poo and toilet paper) and bin anything else,” Scott Burgin, Severn Trent operations manager, said. “These relatively small changes can make a big difference and hopefully avoid any future fatbergs.”

He also apologised on the companies behalf for any inconveniences and thanked the community “for their patience and understanding”. 

“We’re working as quickly as we can to resolve this problem and get everything back to normal as quickly as possible,” he said. 

Additional reporting by Press Association