FORMER Kingsmead residents are being urged to get in touch with United Utilities to make a claim.

The water giant is offering a refund to villagers after Kingsmead Parish Council discovered residents spent around 18 years paying the firm for a service it did not provide.

In June 2013 the parish council found out that Kingsmead’s surface water was draining to a filtration unit that United Utilities did not own, although it was charging customers a surface water draining charge for dealing with this water.

The company finally adopted the unit in October 2013 and agreed in July this year that customers who lived in Kingsmead between April 1997 and October 24, 2013, would be reimbursed, whether they still lived in the estate or not.

But resident who have moved away are expected to make the first move.

Speaking at the latest Kingsmead Parish Council meeting, clerk Jo O'Donoghue said: "Basically United Utilities are not looking for people who once lived on Kingsmead.

"They're waiting for prior Kingsmead residents to contact them and make a claim through a website/ "If anyone does know previous residents who lived here from 1997 up to the current date should contact United Utilities direct."