A FAMILY'S dream garden has disappeared under a sea of flood water.

Philip and Kathleen Williams now want action taken to drain their waterlogged allotment before it claims a life.

They fear children will drown if they fall in the water - at least 10 feet deep in places - which has filled their steep-sided allotment behind Talbot Road, Rishton.

The couple could only watch as flood water washed away 10 years of hard work and hundreds of pounds worth of plants and gardening equipment.

Fences were ripped down, plants uprooted, a mower ruined, garden tools lost and the shed left almost submerged when the waters rose during recent downpours.

Shop assistant Mrs Williams, of Talbot Street, said: "It is dangerous and something needs to be done soon. If any child went in they would never get out again.

"All my husband's hard work over 10 years has been ruined. He is heartbroken and it is getting him down.

"The allotment first flooded earlier this year, but the levels dropped. However, it has hardly fallen this time. It is the worst we have seen it." Before the flood, lorry driver Mr Williams had created a picturesque haven for his family with a pond, stream, crazy paving patio, barbecue area and hundreds of plants.

The couple's 28-year-old mentally handicapped son Richard helped out with the garden as part of his therapy.

But everything now lies under water after blocked drainage channels caused the flooding.

Rubbish dumped down the allotment side was swept down by the stream and heavy rainwater to block the drainage culvert.

Several residents with garages backing on to the side of the allotment have moved their cars because they fear the water will cause the foundations to crumble.

A petition is in the pipeline from residents to get the allotment's owner, the Dunkenhalgh estate, to put an end to the problem.

Mrs Helen Kay, of Talbot Street, said: "It is dangerous. If a child got in they would be drowned. We are all really concerned about it.

"I have lived here 31 years and have never seen anything like this before."

Mrs Maria Gelemej, of Talbot Street, said: "It was such a beautiful garden, but has been ruined."

The land agent for the allotment, Padiham-based Ingham and Yorke, has taken measures to try to drain the allotment.

However, a spokesman said that on the day workmen started, heavy rain caused the allotment to flood and it became too dangerous to continue.

He said work would begin again once levels had dropped to a reasonable level.

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