A RIDDLESDEN man has spoken about the "stress and trauma" of dealing with the aftermath of a landslide that saw a huge sinkhole open up at the back of his house during a barrage of heavy rain brought on by Storm Franklin last month. 

Simon Sugden, who lives in Westlea Avenue in Riddlesden, raised the alarm in the early hours of Sunday, February 20, when he saw water coming down the road.

Emergency services were scrambled to the scene and Mr Sugden and his five-year-old daughter were evacuated from the property.

A number of homes on the road had to be fenced off due to the scale of the landslide, which one person described as a “sheer drop” at the end of the garden.

Mr Sugden, who has been staying in a Travelodge since the landslide, acknowledged that the stress of the situation has been impacting his mental health.

He said his daughter has been strong but he has spoken to her about the possibility that he will lose his house.

"She's sad about it. I won't go back in there unless it's 100 per cent and there's probably no chance of that. We may have to find something else."

If he is told that there is no chance to save his house, Mr Sugden said: "I should be entitled to some sort of compensation.

"All of the stress and trauma of this situation has been horrible."

Mr Sugden, a photographer who takes pictures of urban decay and abandoned buildings, said he finds it "ironic and really strange" that it is his house that is now abandoned.

He said: "I just don't know myself what's going to happen to it."

Mr Sugden said that he will be meeting with Bradford Council this Thursday to discuss the situation.

He said it is thought a blocked culvert led to water running down the street causing the land to slip away.

He is concerned if the situation is not dealt with "this could happen again."

Mr Sugden also spoke of his disbelief that a neighbouring property in Westlea Avenue affected by the landslide has been been put up for sale at a guide price of just £50,000.

The garden of the two-bed semi-detached home fell away in the landslide and an advert for the property states: “the rear garden and back corner of the house have been affected by land erosion”.

"I can't believe it's been put on the market," said Mr Sugden.