New hope for six evacuee families

Sep 5 2007 By Emma Cullwick, Birmingham Mail

FAMILIES evacuated from their homes after a 30ft high wall started cracking nearby were holding talks with council chiefs today .

Six families and several businesses were moved out of their properties in Mill Street, Kidderminster, on August 15 after engineers said the Victorian wall was in danger of falling down.

Bosses at Worcestershire County Council have arranged to to meet the evacuees to update them and give an indication on when they can move back into their homes and premises.

The meeting was being hosted by the council's cabinet member for environment, Coun Derek Prodger, and the senior engineer, Richard Attwood, at Kidderminster Town Hall.

Coun Prodger said: "It is vitally important that we are in regular contact with the residents of Mill Street during this time.

"This meeting will give us the chance to inform them about what we are currently doing to ensure the safety of their properties.

"The safety and well-being of the residents is our main concern."

Mr Attwood said: "We are still carrying out investigations on the wall in Mill Street, Kidderminster.

"The situation is very delicate. "We do not want to aggravate the collapse of the wall, which could cause damage to properties beneath it.

"In the long term, we are looking to put in a supporting wall so parts of the old wall can be taken down brick by brick."

Mr Attwood added: "It is our priority to make the area safe for work to be carried out and for residents to return to their properties as soon as possible." ..SUPL: