Engineers were today examining a spring which has left a hamlet without water for the first time in 300 years.

Residents in Ryecroft, near Bingley, have been left high and dry for three weeks after the spring succumbed to this year's low rainfall.

As reported in yesterday's Telegraph & Argus, villagers had relied on the source for all their washing, drinking and sewerage needs.

Retired businessman John Moxon, 74, said they hoped to discover whether a deep-level borehole costing about £12,000 would solve the problem.

He said: "A borehole is one of the options we have to look at. We aim to see what we can do to address the problem before getting all the residents together to see what they think. At the moment we have grey clouds constantly passing above but they are passing without depositing any water. What we really need is sustained rain - but that is not on the agenda at the moment."

Mr Moxon said residents had questioned whether sandstone excavation at the nearby Midgeham Cliff End Quarry, which is located about 300 metres away from the hamlet and owned by Skipton Properties, could have added to their water problems.

He added: "There was a public inquiry around three years ago into the workings of the quarry at which we understand a licence to extract stone to a certain depth was agreed.

"Since that time extensive quarrying has taken place and we wonder whether the quarry has gone below the level agreed and affected the spring."

But a spokesman for Midgeham Cliff End Quarry denied their operations had had any effect on the spring.

"The Environment Agency, in consultation with ourselves, investigated the water source for both Midgeham Cliff End Quarry and Ryecroft Village approximately three years ago," said the spokesman.

"Their findings showed that the water supply for Ryecroft village came from a high-level spring that was heavily dependant on rainfall. The operations at the quarry had no effect on this spring and were not in contravention of any law.

"We can only conclude that the water shortage is due to the unprecedented dry spell and cannot be attributed to our quarrying operations."

Bradford Council own the land currently being worked by Skipton Properties. A spokesman said: "There is no evidence of quarrying activity below the level which has been designated.

"A few years ago the then owners of the quarry said they would pay for the village to be connected to the mains water supply, but they refused, preferring the high-quality water which the spring produced."

e-mail: dan.webber@bradford.newsquest.co.uk