19/02/2014 BBC Oxford News

Good evening. Sewage that spilled onto properties near Henley during

the flooding is still there, six weeks after it first appeared. It's

been running through gardens and driveways in Mill End, near Henley

after a pumping station flooded. Thames Water says it's fixed the

pump, but with floodwaters still high the sewage isn't draining away.

Charlotte Stacey reports. This water is basically a massive puddle full

of sewage. I'm sure it does not take much to imagine the smell here. If

The pumping station down there has failed, the electrics have been

swamped with flood water and sewage is coming onto people's gardens and

affecting people who live here. We have not been able to use the drive

for six weeks. The smell outside and the fact that the manhole cover has

been raised with the sewage is most unpleasant. The problems we have at

the moment are minute compared to what is happening down the Thames at

Wraysbury and Datchet. But we are annoyed with Thames Water because

the pumping station is not clearing properly and we have sewage leaking

out and we have to drive and alter it every day, which is pretty nasty.

This cottage is next door to the pumping station and the cellar is

full of raw sewage. It was into the house a few weeks ago but that has

now started to drain away. Alex manages this property, which is in

the process of being renovated. They have had to stop the work. Tell us

about the problems. We accept the fact that water will come into the

property, we are by the river. We have ground water coming in from the

river. I do not accept the fact that we have sewage coming in for the

second time in a year. I want Thames Water to get down here, look at the

pumping station, look at why is water getting into their pumps. They

need is the problem out. It is a simple solution, all any to do is

invest properly and get the job done. Thames Water say the problem

is fixed and the electrics are working again. The system is

overwhelmed by the amount of flood water. For people living here, they

just want a solution. Thames Water says it needs to prioritise

customers who are most in need and will start assessing the situation

when water levels subside. Meanwhile, in Oxford, some

householders are still suffering from the effects of flooded sewers.

Ann Watts has been unable to use her bathroom for almost two weeks. She's

lived in the street since she was a child and claims back then, the

waterways and sewers were better maintained. Now she says the problem

is getting worse every year. We have never had to double sandbag before,

and it is all the way round the house. We have had to buy

dehumidifiers to keep the place dry inside. We have never had to do that

before. So, things are changing. Today, MPs and local councillors met

with Downing Street advisers to press for a permanent solution to

the flooding problems in and around Oxford. MP Nicola Blackwood was

among them ` and explained why they went. Clearly, for people living in

Oxford and Abingdon, the flooding has become a really uncomfortable

reality of the winter and even though we have had a good emergency

response from the emergency services, the Environment Agency and

councils, we need to recognise it is time for long`term solutions. The

Environment Agency has come up with an impressive proposal, the Western

Conveyance Channel, which will go around Oxford. It will take the

water down to the south of Oxford. It'll cost about ?123 million. It

will take about eight years to build. This is something we are

seeking government support for but we also looking to local authorities

and businesses. Today's meeting at number ten Downing St explained the

challenges that we are facing in Oxford, not just in terms of the

human cost but the economic cost. We have roads closed, we have had rail

services down, this is not something that a 21st`century City can

sustain. An inquest has been opened and adjourned into the death of a

teenager who was stabbed to death in Oxford. Police were called to

Fairacres Road last Thursday evening where they found 17`year`old Connor

Tremble. He died in hospital at the weekend. A 20`year`old`man from

Banbury has been remanded in custody accused of his

Researchers in Oxford are trying new techniques to reduce the number of

people needing knee replacement operations. Osteo`arthritis in the

knee affects around six million people in the UK and the number's

rising as we live longer. The team at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre

is developing customised surgery which can be done at an early stage.

Jessica Cooper reports. Doing her daily exercises after just having

her knee replaced. For Sally, the operation was a last resort after

struggling with osteoarthritis for 20 years. When you are going through

the physio, you are going through the medications, you are hoping that

you will find something that will assist you. But there comes a point

where nothing helps and you either are told this is it, carry on, all

you need a total knee replacement. There is nothing else they can

offer. Now scientists in Oxford are trying to bridge the gap by offering

tailored treatment to people with the condition at an earlier stage.

One of the treatment is being trialled here is to cut into the

shin, which realigns the leg and reduces the pressure on the knee,

which makes it less painful for people with osteoarthritis. This

image shows a knee with osteoarthritis and how the red

pressure reduces after the shin surgery. We are really hoping to

have really clear guides at the end of this three years. Where we can

see who we should be applying these treatments to, which ones we should

be applying for each person and particularly at what stage we should

be applying them for each particular person. Sally's now looking forward

to a pain`free life. She's donated her tissue and bone to the team in

Oxford to help people affected by the disease in future. That's it

from us for now. We're back in BBC Breakfast tomorrow morning. With the

weather here's Alexis Green. We have rain tonight and strengthening

southerly winds, becoming south`westerly tomorrow morning. We

are expecting outbreaks of rain and very mild temperatures overnight,

with low temperatures of eight Celsius. These showers will continue

tomorrow morning first thing, before a band of rain rattles in from the

south`west. Some strengthening winds, in particular, for the

morning rush hour. In the afternoon, sunny spells and scattered, thundery

showers, with some hailstones and high temperatures of themselves is.

We're looking at a measure of sunny spells and scattered showers. Stay

tuned, because Friday, a fine day. For the weekend,

here is the BBC National weather. We have got rain and wind in the

forecast, but the good news is that it is not severe. Over the next 24

hours, some of us will get rain and the winds will be strengthening Not

stormy at this stage. This is the satellite picture, you can see the

low pressure in the North Atlantic shunting