A water company has urged people to not pour oils and grease from turkeys down the sink this Christmas.

South West Water said that a medium-sized turkey produces up to three-quarters of a pint of fat which, if put down pipes, cools and potentially causes blockages and fatbergs.

If the one million households South West Water serves in Cornwall and Devon poured turkey fat down their sinks it would see the equivalent of more than 2,800 bathtubs full of grease entering the sewers.

It comes after Yorkshire Water issued the same message to families earlier this week, saying such activity could have a "significant impact" on the sewer network.

Wastewater director at South West Water, Iain Vosper, said: “Don’t let the fat from your festive feast come back and haunt you as a ghost of Christmas past, causing blockages and fatbergs.

The Bolton News: An example of a fatberg that can build up in the sewers (PA/Thames Water)An example of a fatberg that can build up in the sewers (PA/Thames Water)

“Think about your sink this Christmas time, and don’t dispose of cooking fats, oils and greases down the drain.

“Tens of thousands of litres of waste fat, cooking oil and grease are poured down sinks in the South West each year along with food waste which can build up in pipes.

“These mix with wrongly flushed items such as wet wipes, hygiene wipes, cleaning wipes, cleansing pads and sanitary products, causing blocked sewers, which can lead to flooding in your homes and in the environment."

Last year the water company removed more than 450 tonnes of items that should not have been flushed, such as wet wipes, sanitary products and cotton pads, from pumping stations.

It is recommended that people bin the fat and grease from their turkey instead after letting it cool down.