The threat to Ironbridge

From the Shropshire Star:

Telford & Wrekin Council is to borrow £5.6 million to help stabilise Ironbridge Gorge and avert a catastrophic collapse into the River Severn, it was revealed today. 

Town hall chiefs are now negotiating with the Government to secure an additional £14.4 million it is estimated will be needed for the work. 

Council deputy leader Councillor Richard Overton said the stabilisation work was absolutely vital. 

A total of £15 million has already been spent trying to save the Gorge from collapse at the Lloyds but no more has been done to shore it up since that work was completed nine months ago. 

The Government last year vowed to foot 60 per cent of the £20 million bill to complete the stabilisation work, which would have left the council £8 million to find. 

Councillor Overton said: "Now we have committed £5.6 million in our budget we hope that the Government will go just that extra mile and fund the remaining £14.4 million needed."

The Lloyds (East and West) turns out to be an area of former coal mining activity between Ironbridge and Coalport.

For an idea of how unstable the geology is in the Ironbridge Gorge, see what happened at Jackfield in the 1950s.