SINGING sewermen have released a Christmas carol to encourage people to help avoid blockages.

The modern take on the traditional We Three Kings sees Southern Water’s workers performing the hit in a sewer, with the lyrics referring to only flushing the ‘Three Ps’ down their toilet – pee, poo and paper.

So far this year, there have been more than 11,000 blockages on Southern Water’s sewer network, which includes Basingstoke, caused by items such as wet wipes and sanitary products being flushed away instead of being put in a bin.

These include 40 in Basingstoke.

Blockages can cause people’s homes and gardens to flood with wastewater.

The song, filmed underground in Brighton’s Victorian sewers, also warns of the perils of pouring cooking oils down the sink, which also leads to problems in the pipes.

The song includes vocal support from members of the Southern Water choir, and includes Bruce the sewer monster – Southern Water’s mascot for its Pain the Drain campaign.

Singing sewerman Stuart Slark said: “I’ve seen some strange things in these sewers but a choir singing with a fluffy orange monster, a woman wearing a dress made of wet wipes and a giant poo is definitely a first.

“To help keep weird stuff like this out of the sewers, only flush out the Three Ps – pee, poo and paper – everything else should go in the bin.”