A FED-UP couple today said they wanted to be left in peace after saying that a mineshaft which appeared in their front garden had turned into a local attraction.

Curious passers-by keep walking into Arthur and Doreen Uttley's garden at their home in Halifax Road, Brierfield, wanting to take a closer look into the 200ft hole that appeared after their flowering borders began to sink.

Dorothy said: "We've had people in the garden, knocking on our door and it's getting too much.

"We didn't want to make a big fuss about it in the first place.

"I'm getting a bit fed up with all the attention."

At first the puzzled couple thought a water main may have burst and washed away part of the ground under the garden, but investigations revealed the problem went a lot deeper than that. John Delaney, spokesman for the Coal Authority, said: "We have establised it is a mine shaft and therefore our responsibility. Our first priority was to ensure the area was safe. We carried out investigations to identify what the hole was and its depth.

"We are currently grotting the shaft and then we will put a concrete cap on it, hopefully by the end of next week."

The Coal Authority has reassured the Uttleys that there is no danger of their house going down the hole.

The pavement outside the garden has been fenced off to make the area safe.

The Authority has also promised to replant the garden and bring it back to its former glory once the work is completed.

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