As he peeped through the curtains, he watched in disbelief as a tree toppled over, crushing his runner beans.

Within hours where trees and greenery had once shielded Sheldon's dairy, Jeff Shard was left starring into an 'abyss'.

Contractors had moved on to the site in Hollow Lane to tidy it up for new arrivals Lawernsons.

"They just turned up and chopped down lots of trees," said Mr Shard.

Now he is worried that the land just beyond his garden could begin to slide into the hole.

"Who knows what will happen then," he said. "If the sand gets too wet my whole house might slide into the hole."

But yesterday haulage firm Lawernsons, which is now renting the site, insisted there was nothing to worry about.

"They only removed the trees and about 5ft of overgrowth from around the edges of the park," said a company spokesman. "The land has not tampered with."

This week Lawernsons, a family firm from Mobberley, hoped they would be welcomed in town.

"I don't know why people around here are against us because we will provide employment for locals," the spokesman said.

The firm had asked for the area to be tidied up before they moved in on Saturday.

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