15 Ton Ball of Fat Removed From London Sewer (Video)

A 15-ton ball of congealed fat, dubbed England's 'fatberg', was removed from a London sewer after an 10-day operation which involved dozens of workers. Area residents had been that their toilets would not flush and of a 'nauseating smell'.

The monstrous lump of festering food fat - said to be about the size of a city bus - formed in drains under a major road in southwest London. Had it not been removed, the deposit could have led to sewage flooding homes, streets and businesses in the exclusive London suburb.

'While we've removed greater volumes of fat from under streets in the past, we've never seen a single, congealed lump of lard this big clogging our sewers before', said a city sewer spokesman. 'Since London has the largest, most intricate system of sewers, we assume it's the biggest 'fatberg' in British history.'

Workers said the sewer was nearly completely clogged with the nearly 15 tons of fat. The cumulative damage it did to the sewer will take up to six weeks to repair.

For years city officials have warned homes and businesses to change their ways when it came to the disposal of cooking and industrial fats, urging people to 'bin it, don't block it'.