Severn Trent is urging people to "be a binner, not a blocker".

The water company is backing the Unblocktober campaign, after clearing 28,782 blockages last year, which could have been avoided if waste had been disposed correctly.

Grant Mitchell, sewer blockages lead at the company, said: "Our work preventing and clearing blockages is something we talk about all year round, but Unblocktober is the perfect time to reinforce the messages to our customers.

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"Only the three P’s, that’s pee, poo and (toilet) paper, should be flushed down the toilet and everyone should avoid putting fats, oils and greases down the sink.

"Just making sure you follow these steps can avoid awful blockages in your home."

Wet wipes, even those labelled "flushable" or "biodegradable," are a major cause of blockages.

When flushed, they can cause sewage to flood into homes, which is costly to fix.

Fats, oils, and grease (FOG) also contribute significantly to blockages, creating damaging fatbergs and leading to sewer flooding incidents.

Severn Trent removes around two and a half tonnes of wipes and other non-flushable items from sewers, and has cleared 14 million litres of FOG, the equivalent to six Olympic-sized swimming pools.

This helps save customers from unnecessary and potentially costly issues.

Mr Mitchell added: "We clear a staggering number of blockages from the likes of wet wipes and other offenders such as nappies, sanitary products, and even toys.

"We just want people to start thinking before they flush or pour anything down the sink."

Throughout Unblocktober, Severn Trent will be sharing its "Sewer Stories", highlighting the work of the waste team in preventing and clearing blockages.

A spokesperson from The Lanes Group, which organises the campaign, said: "Unblocktober is the first campaign driven by the British public and aims to continue to improve the health of our drains and reduce the environmental impact of our waste water.

"Let’s take the pledge together and save our sewers and seas."

For advice about blockages, visit www.stwater.co.uk/avoidblockages, or to learn more about the campaign, head to www.unblocktober.org.

Problems with slow drains or blocked sewers can be reported online or by calling 0800 783 4444.