PENSIONERS were forced to fight flooding by clearing out drainage ditches which landowners had left unattended.
The ditches, along Horley Road in Charlwood, are supposed to catch water running off from the nearby fields, but are often filled with branches and mud, meaning they do not drain properly and water floods onto the road and into nearby gardens.
But Surrey County Council and landowners are at loggerheads over who is responsible for the ditches.
The decade-long debate has left residents of Farmfield Cottages, whose gardens and drives are often flooded, at their wits' end.
And the problem reared its head again after the heavy rainfall at the end of November.
"It is ludicrous," said Colin Stapleton, 67, who lives in one of the cottages.
"We have got the River Mole 20 yards away but the water seems to come here.
"When the hedges are cut, the branches are not always cleared away and they fill up the ditches."
When recent heavy rain reached their front doors and rendered the road impassable, Mr Stapleton, his wife Jeannie and two neighbours took matters into their own hands, clearing a stretch of the ditch to help drain the water.
But now they want authorities to take more responsibility and find a long-term solution.
Mrs Stapleton, 63, said: "Drivers think it's fun to drive fast along the flooded road and spray water at the house. One day we'll get a stone in the window.
"We just want this resolved."
The water runs into the ditches and is supposed to be carried away to meet the River Mole across the road, but with both the ditches and under-road pipes blocked, it pours out to flood the surrounding area.
According to land drainage rules published by Mole Valley District Council, landowners are responsible for the nearside half of watercourses which run around their land, even if they are outside their boundaries.
This would make the ditches the shared responsibility of the farm owners and Surrey County Council, who own the road.
But John Lory Farmers and Ken Vernon, who own the land either side of the ditches, were unavailable for comment when the Mirror called.
Surrey County Council was also unable to comment before the Mirror went to press.