THESE pictures show what rising water levels have done to trees and wildlife growing in a Knutsford nature reserve in the heart of the town.

Over the past 10 years, residents have been concerned about rising water levels in Sanctuary Moor – a large area of wet land between Toft Road and Legh Road, damaging wildlife, plants and gardens.

And this week homeowners in Legh Road contacted the Guardian after noticing trees on the land were being killed off because of the drainage issue.

The aerial picture from Google Maps shows what the area used to look like, with green trees dominating, but record rainfall over the past two years has turned it into a swamp.

In the past, cattle have roamed on the land and for Knutsfordians who have grown up in the town, many have spoke of their memories of playing on the moor.

Mark Lees, one of the major landowners on Sanctuary Moor, told the Guardian the drainage problem was the worst it had ever been.

“It’s been getting difficult over the past 20 years but in the past three it has been getting worse,” he said.

“It has never been flooded like it is at the moment and there’s no way we can go on this year.

“It is just too wet and it’s flooded like it has never flooded before. The trees are drowning and from my perspective something dramatic has happened in the past three years for this to happen.”

Mark added a developer in Brook Lane had not helped the issue by placing a concrete boulder near the property causing the water to build up.

“In the past the council has flushed the underground culverts and when they have the water has gone down significantly,” he added.

“But we’re not sure if it’s a mixture of whether the culverts are big enough or whether they are silted up or whether they are damaged.”

Clr Peter Raynes added the culverts and the channel needed to be cleared to solve the drainage issue.

“The residents got together with some conservationists who looked at the drainage,” he said.

“The culvert under the road needs to be cleared by Cheshire East – and I will put my name forward to help Mark with that – and as it the river flows through people’s gardens it needs to be clear so we can get the water level under control.

“The solution can only occur if residents work together with the council because the property is private. Part of the water runs through private land and each homeowner is responsible for each little section.”

Clr Raynes said he thought the Aldi development was not having an effect on the drainage on Sanctuary Moor.