RESIDENTS have called for action after water, which has been running down a lane in Skipton, froze over, creating a hazardous ice-rink.

The back lane between George Street and Dawson Street has been water logged several times because of water leaks and residents say they are fed up with Yorkshire Water's lack of action.

Judith Lacey, of Dawson Street, said at the moment the lane was not safe as the running water had frozen over. "It was like an ice-skating rink this morning (Wednesday)," she said.

She reported the leak behind her house to Yorkshire Water in September - only to be told three months later that if she did not get it fixed she could be prosecuted for wasting water.

Mrs Lacey said after she had made the complaint, the company had done nothing until December. In between, thousands of gallons of water had been allowed to run down the lane.

"I don't see how they could threaten me with wasting water when I reported the leak in September," she said.

A Yorkshire Water contractor visited the site in September and a month later Mrs Lacey contacted the company again when nothing had been done. Yorkshire Water dug up the stop tap behind her house and the hole has been left to fill with water ever since.

Just before Christmas Mrs Lacey received a letter telling her a pipe had burst on her side of the stop tap and therefore she had to fix it or could be prosecuted for wasting the water.

Mrs Lacey said: "But how was I to know. I called the company in September to find out the problem."

A spokesman for Yorkshire Water said contractors found the problem was with a pipe on her property and offered to repair the leak free of charge. He apologised for the length of time it had taken to do the work and said he was awaiting permission to enter the property.

In a separate incident, Renee Rushton, of George Street, said water and dirt, which she believes could have been sewage, had been seeping from under the cobbles into her back yard.

She wrote to North Yorkshire County Council's housing services. In February an officer inspected the sewers and drains and said that although water was still coming up through the ground it had not been possible to find the exact cause.

He added there was a public sewer directly below the area and said he had contacted Yorkshire Water which was responsible for the sewers. To date there has been no response from the company.

Mrs Rushton said: "There's always been a problem with water running down the backs, which always accumulates in a big puddle at the bottom. It's like a river. I've never known it as bad as this."

She added that in the winter she did not dare venture out at the back for fear of slipping on the frozen water.

"The cobbles are a real mess outside. I don't know why they can't just Tarmac it," she said.

Frank and Rita Wilkinson, also of George Street, said the problem with leaks on the back street was an ongoing saga.

Mr Wilkinson added: "Nothing has ever been sorted out. A good example of what happens is just across the backs from me, where a leak has sprung up and they've been out to dig it up, but have just left it dug up.

"Over the last two to three years, the cobbles have become a real mess as well. They are all uneven and gradually subsiding. I wouldn't walk down there anymore. They are just so uneven and when they are icy it's very bad. I think they should just Tarmac them over, or at least lift them and level them off.

"When there's heavy rain, it runs down like a river and they never seem to be able to control leaks springing up from under the cobbles."

Mr Wilkinson added he remembered when all the main streets were surfaced in the 1960s and drains placed in the middle of the streets. No such action was ever taken with the back streets.

"I'm just worried that the back street is so bad and subsiding so much, that it's going to undermine our back yards and outbuildings."