RESIDENTS of a Hampshire town say they live in fear of a torrent of water breaking through an ageing dam.

The Great Weir has held back Old Alresford Pond since the Middle Ages but in recent years there has been slight movements within the dam, raising concerns about its stability.

If it bursts, a huge quantity of water and mud could engulf the houses and watercress beds lying immediately below the structure.

Ward councillor George Hollingbery, of Abbotstone Road, Old Alresford, said: "We are directly in the path of millions of gallons of mud and water. I can't afford to think about it too much.

"I am extremely concerned about it and it should be sorted out as soon as possible."

There has been a long-running dispute over who is liable to maintain the dam.

Owner Tony Chambers, of The Soke, Alresford, argues that as the B3046 runs across the top Hampshire County Council should maintain it.

The council disagrees and the issue has been dragging through the courts for several years. Mr Chambers was unavailable for comment.

The county council is discussing the future of the pond, a highly regarded wildlife habitat. A report from officers recommends that the council buys the pond but a decision has recently been deferred.

The council is seeking a High Court Declaration to establish liability for maintaining the Great Weir. A detailed survey of the structure has been ordered.

Mr Hollingbery said nothing would be done if Mr Chambers remains as owner because the cost of the engineering works would be prohibitive.

He said the solution was to pump out some of the mud and so remove much of the pressure from the dam.

Rodney Sabine, chairman of the city council planning committee and the local ward councillor, said: "All local members are con-cerned; this dam is holding back millions of litres of water and mud and it is threatening those properties below it."

Campaigners fighting plans to intensify the use of a watercress packing plant in Old Alresford argued that the heavier lorries than would rumble over the Great Weir could exacerbate its instability.

A spokesman for Hampshire County Council said: "There are legal problems involved and we cannot comment at the moment. We have to explore it a great deal to make sure of the ground we are on."

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.