The couple claim they were not insured for the damage and were fighting for compensation from Devon County Council.

The couple are now taking the council to civil court, with a date set for February.

David Strobel, 76, said if the council had fixed the problem correctly the first time, “none of this would be necessary.”

Strobel says she won’t give up and describes it as “a matter of justice.”

In a statement, Devon County Council said: “We cannot comment on individual cases which are the subject of ongoing legal proceedings. »