By james art A stuffed version of Ernie from Sesame Street gave Wessex Water staff a scare as they carried out CCTV on a sewer in Bristol to find the cause of the blockage.
While removing the surprise visitor, they were shocked to find that the drain was still blocked further down the line and further investigation revealed the gruesome remains of a second stuffed dog.
The obstruction was finally cleared after the two toys were removed from the local sewer system.
A Wessex Water spokesman said: “We never know what we will find lurking in the drain when we visit to clear a blockage, but our team certainly did not expect this.
“Although clogs are usually caused by wet wipes and other non-biodegradable sanitary items, we stress the importance of thinking twice about what else you flush down the toilet.”
Every year Wessex Water clears 13,000 drain blockages that can destroy homes and harm the environment.