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Sewer pipes in Leeds are being clogged up by so-called flushable wipes.

Revolting images of wipes retrieved from sewer pipes have been released by Yorkshire Water, who say some parts of Leeds have eight times more blockages that other hotspots in Yorkshire.

The water company says two-thirds of its customers think it's fine to get rid of 'flushable wipes' down the toilet, but the wipes contain plastic that does not break down in the sewer system and results in blockages.

Yorkshire Water are called out to more than 30,000 sewer blockages every year, costing £2.4 million - with 40 per cent of incidents caused by wipes.

It said this was a particular problem in the LS8 and LS9 postcodes.

Yorkshire Water customer service manager Tom Phillips said flushing wipes down the toilets can have 'horrible repercussions'.

He said: "They do not break down and can quickly build up, cause blockages which are not only unpleasant but can cost homeowners a lot of time and money to clear up.

"There’s a simple rule for things you should flush down the toilet; stick to the three Ps – pee, poo and paper.

"Looking after customers and the environment are two of our five big goals, so are huge priority for us. We have a target of reducing internal flooding by 70 per cent so it is vital we get the message out."

The company has started a campaign in Leeds to urge customers to only flush the three Ps - releasing disgusting images of what can happen when flushable wipes are disposed of down the toilet.

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