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A woman was found dead at her home just days after her council property was flooded for a second time this year.

Catherine McColl-Sutherland was discovered hanged at her address in Albert Drive, Sheerwater, on Sunday (September 18), three days after filthy water flooded into her property.

Miss McColl-Sutherland, 46, had suffered from repeated flooding due to an drainage issue in her back garden, which resulted in her home being covered in sewage on numerous occasions.

Her home was once again affected after heavy downpours on Thursday evening (September 15), which saw water, excrement and female hygiene products wash in.

Thames Water has confirmed it is investigating drainage in the area and "causes of flooding" alongside other responsible authorities.

The video below shows Miss McColl-Sutherland (on the right) outside her home during flooding in May this year

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On Sunday, at around 8.30pm, her body was discovered by a close friend who called the emergency services but paramedics were unable to resuscitate her.

Miss McColl-Sutherland was made homeless earlier this year after severe flooding on May 11 covered the ground floor of her property in sewage.

At the peak of the flooding, the water had risen to knee height, destroying much of her property.

Woking Borough Council placed her in temporary accommodation and she had only returned to Albert Drive four weeks before her death.

Her family has criticised the borough council's decision to return her to the property, which is managed by New Vision Homes on behalf of the council, saying the constant flooding was having an impact on her mental and physical health.

The council tenant suffered from emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lived with depression.

Miss McColl-Sutherland's family said she had been under the impression the flooding issue had been solved by Thames Water and she was devastated when the issue happened again last week.

Her sister, who asked not to be named, said she had been worried about Miss McColl-Sutherland’s wellbeing after the flooding in May.

“I never thought she would have done what she did,” she said. “I was worried about her mental health and I went to a couple of meetings with her. She had a carer that used to come out three times a week.”

Asked whether she thought the repeated flooding contributed to her death, Miss McColl-Sutherland's sister said: “Definitely. She had to keep going over the same thing over and over again."

Miss McColl-Sutherland returned to the Albert Drive after the May flooding, having lost her furniture, which was ruined by the sewage, and had effectively been living in her bedroom, her family said.

When her sister was asked whether she thought the tragedy would have happened had it not been for the flooding, she said: “If the flooding had not happened, I don’t think she would have done what she did. She could not cope with living in just one room.

“She was always house proud. She was coping with it up until the massive flooding in May when they had to move her. But after that her mental health seemed to get worse and worse. When it happened again, it pushed her over the edge.”

Miss McColl-Sutherland’s family claim she had flooding problems at her home on 38 occasions and that, in their view, the property was not suitable for a person with her health problems.

They added: "[We are] deeply saddened. [We] will miss her with all our hearts. She's with the angels now. [We will] never forget how much she had to go through."

'Full investigation'

Woking Coroner’s Court confirmed on Wednesday a file had been passed to the coroner. A post-mortem examination has been carried out with the cause listed as death by hanging.

A spokesman for Thames Water said: “We sympathise deeply with the family, and are already working with all the other organisations responsible for drainage in the area on a full investigation into the causes of the flooding.”

A police spokesman confirmed officers were called to Albert Drive at around 8.40pm on Sunday September 18, saying Miss McColl-Sutherland was pronounced dead at 8.50pm.

The spokesman added an investigation into her death, which is being treated as unexplained, remained ongoing but said no third party involvement or suspicious circumstances were suspected.

Get Surrey has approached Woking Borough Council for comment.