A WOOLSTON resident watched on in horror as her garden suddenly collapsed into the River Mersey.

Louise Tuck lives on Weir Lane, immediately next to the river.

After noticing that water levels were unusually low on Friday, she went outside to witness the footpath and riverbank cave in.

“It was really eerie,” said Mrs Tuck.

“I heard the first part of the bank collapse and within 15 minutes it had all completely gone.

“About an hour later I noticed a big crack in my garden and thought ‘oh my god’.”

The 54-year-old said that two elderly men had been walking on that section of the popular footpath minutes earlier.

“I was just in shock because of the old people I’d spoken to,” she said.

“If they had stayed there any longer they would have fallen in.”

By Saturday morning more of her garden had disappeared including part of her lawn, flower beds, 10 fence panels and five concrete posts.

While her house has been confirmed as safe, she has been unable to let her 87-year-old mother, who also lives at the property, see the damage.

The footpath has been closed off by Warrington Borough Council, but it said that Peel Holdings is responsible for the land.

Sub company Peel Ports has admitted lowering water levels on Friday to carry out repair works at Latchford Lock.

Heavy rainfall last week lead to a 40ft tree causing damage to a sluice gate, it said.

Water levels were lowered to allow repairs to be carried out but Peel Ports said it had found ‘no correlation’ between the lowering of water and the collapsed land.

Gary Hodgson, managing director, said: “Peel Ports takes very seriously the concerns of residents and others affected by the issues at Moss Edge.

“To date we have been unable to identify any correlation between the low levels of water in the canal and the erosion at Moss Edge.

“However, we will continue to support further investigation into this matter by local agencies, including local authorities and the Environment Agency.”

Mrs Tuck has been in contact with both the council and Peel Ports but has yet to be told when repair work will begin.

She added: “I just want it to be safe, for whoever is responsible to sort it out.

“At the moment the garden has just been left and the rest could well collapse.”