RESIDENTS living on a steep hillside development in Knaresborough are concerned about subsidence in the area.

Some gardens have sunk by 18 inches, footways have subsided and there are dips in part of the road.

Garages have also been affected by the subsidence, close to Fisher Garden flats. Some drivers wanting to take their cars out found garage doors jammed by the landslip.

Resident and town historian Nancy Buckle, who lives in Fisher Gardens, said people were alerted to problems when fire engines, an ambulance and police arrived at the scene after subsidence had been reported.

"The structure of homes is not affected, but there has certainly been movement affecting garden areas and paths," said Miss Buckle.

Part of the housing development was built on a former quarry and the area suffered some subsidence more than 20 years ago.

A spokesman for Yorkshire Water, which was called out to repair a four-inch water main burst in the area, said this had been completed.

"At the moment there are some structural engineers currently trying to assess the cause of the subsidence," said the official.

The spokesman said there was a long history of subsidence in the area but that it was too early to say what had caused the latest incident.