Danny and Agnes Oates were forced to clear up the mess themselves and they accused Scottish Water of failing to deal with what has become a long-running problem.

The couple run the Red Lion pub in Jerviston Street in the centre of the village.

Last month the Times & Speaker highlighted the problem of untreated sewage running down the pavement outside the pub and shops, and next to the spot where a lollipop lady escorts schoolchildren across the road.

At that time Scottish Water said it had identified a leak in a sewer and repairs had been carried out.

However, in the last couple of weeks the sewage has – literally – resurfaced through cracks in the pavement and, according to Mr Oates, the situation is worse than ever.

He said: "It was about six inches deep on Monday morning and the smell was unbearable. I used a shovel to clear away as much as I could, but you can see there's still some lying about.

"Scottish Water have sent workers out often enough, but it's half an hour here and there, and they're not solving the problem."

A Scottish Water spokesman said: "We are aware of sewage leaking through the pavement in Jerviston Street. A squad will visit the site as soon as possible to identify the source of the sewage."

Full story in March 11 edition of Times & Speaker