A business owner said her shop resembled a paddling pool rather than a florist following persistent pipe problems.

Salli Zachariou, one half of Sabella Floral Design, in Enfield Road, has seen her shop tormented by constant leaks for more than eight years.

When starting the business Mrs Zachariou discovered that external pipes were inside the building and have often left her shop with puddles.

She said: “It’s having an impact on the business. This business is tough enough as it is let alone with this problem and nothing major has been done. It turned into a paddling pool last week.”

The shop is owned by Enfield council and leased to the florist who told the Enfield Independent that minor improvements have been made down the years yet leaks return every time it rains.

She said: “We have had person after person come down to look at the pipes but nothing has been done.

“Now I fear every time it rains that our shop will be flooded. The past week has been the final straw, we have had enough.

“There was problems with the drainage from the flats above and that leads to the problems down here.

“We have had damp and wallpaper falling down. We have to make our shop as attractive as possible for passing trade, how can that be done when we have to leave buckets out to collect rain water.”

The shop has four pipes that have blighted the business and calls are being made for the council to step in.

Mrs Zachariou added: “We cannot go on like this, the council needs to help its businesses otherwise we won’t last much longer.”

An Enfield council spokesman said: "We will be visiting the shop in the next couple of days to seek a permanent solution to the flooding."