A water company has appealed to residents to keep sewers fat-free this Christmas.

South West Water is urging festive cooks to keep sewers unclogged by not pouring fats, oils and greases down drains.

The appeal comes in collaboration with Environmental Compliance and Services (ECAS) to support food businesses in Devon and Cornwall preparing millions of meals for the holiday season.

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In the last year, the company has managed over 7,000 blocked sewers, of which over 20 per cent were a direct result of fats, oils and greases creating a solid mass in pipes, leading to floods.

Andrew Blake, project manager at South West Water, said: "The Christmas season can be challenging for our sewers due to the increased fat and food waste generated by food businesses and households accommodating more guests.

"[They should] ensure that festive roasting juices, gravies, sauces, and creams are not being poured into the sewers.

"By changing your practices, you can easily help prevent blockages and avoid damage to properties, sewers and the environment."

Marc Downes, operational performance manager at ECAS, said: "They have since worked closely with us and now have new grease-trapping equipment in place, just in time for the busy Christmas period.

"I’d like to thank the team for positively collaborating with us and doing everything they can to help protect the sewers and the environment."

Toby Carvery Exeter is one of many restaurants that has collaborated with ECAS to upgrade their grease-trapping equipment, a move that is expected to prevent unnecessary blockages in the sewer system.

Krystian Westerlich, general manager at the carvery, said: "You’d be amazed how much fat, oil, and grease a grease trap can collect that would otherwise end up in the sewers.

"I’d encourage other local food businesses to work with South West Water to see if there’s anything more they can do to help protect our communities and the local environment."

South West Water encourages residents to let used cooking oil cool before storing it in a sealed container away from drains, as well as using a sink strainer to collect food debris.