UK man discovers 14-metre-deep lead mine shaft in his garden


This man from Middleton-by-Wirksworth, Derbyshire, discovered a century-old mine shaft in his garden.

Terry Houghton, 67, bought the land at the back of his house at an auction last year. The field contained an old lead mine shaft 14-metres-deep called Stichen mine.

Footage captured on June 6 shows the top of the mine encased with concrete and covered by a thick safety glass so visitors can take a look a down the hole.

"I set this up because I want to share with the village and wider community a bit of the mining history,’’ Houghton says in the video.

To protect the mine, Houghton also built a tin roof, made temporary walls and top it all with a roof with an organic garden that blends into the scenery in the village.

The mine shaft goes down further but is currently blocked by rubble. Some local cavers have started to clear it to explore further passages which are believed to run to the end of the village and under the pub.