A Southill shop owner fears flooding caused by blocked drains has driven customers away.

Gary Dipple of Tidings Newsagents, Radipole Lane, Weymouth, said he had complained to the council five times before action was taken early today to sort the trouble out.

Heavy rain and two blocked drains caused the entrance to the car park to become covered in about a foot of water.

Mr Dipple said the problem started last week and had got to the point where it was damaging trade.

He said: "It's actually affecting business. Most people can't walk across and several cars have seen the water and just driven off."

Several children have been playing near the 'miniature lake' and riding through on their bikes.

At the height of the problem, cars driving through the water were submerged up to the top of their wheels.

Mr Dipple said: "It's dangerous. It's not safe, especially when you think about the problems for cars driving through that much water."

He was also concerned that if the problem was not dealt with soon it could spread.

He said: "It's nearly coming into the shop now and if it wasn't for the kerb it probably would have already caused thousands of pounds' worth of damage. Everybody along here runs the risk of getting flooded."

This week is not the first time the car park has been hit by flooding. Thousands of pounds' worth of damage was caused to shops at the Southill precinct when storms swept the county in 1981. The Rowan Close Residents' Action Group was set up to address the problem, thought to be made worse by faulty valves in the drainage system.

Concerns surfaced again in 1990 when planning permission was refused for 16 homes to be built on the site of the car park. Those opposing the application argued that the development could lead to further flooding.

Mr Dipple said: "I know they have had a few problems here before but since I have been here, it has never as bad as this."