A CRUMBLING wall that forced the evacuation of residents from their homes nearby has partially collapsed, causing minor damage to properties below.

A specialist team of contractors had been carrying out a "controlled demolition" of the retaining wall, in Mill Street, Kidderminster but, an eight metre length of the wall collapsed into the rear of terrace properties.

No one was in the houses at the time as the residents have not yet been able to move back in.

Richard Attwood, Worcestershire County Council senior engineer for highways works, said: "The collapse has accelerated the controlled demolition we are undertaking." He said that they had noticed "greater movement" in the wall on Tuesday afternoon and after assessing the situation and "pulling back", had continued when the movement stopped. Then, at 8pm, the wall "just went".

He said: "We have made the site stable again but it has to be recognised that even with an expert team of specialists the wall has collapsed like this. This is because of all the unknowns. The wall is about 100 years old and we have limited knowledge. We don't know how the wall was constructed and there are no drawings."

Mr Attwood said the damage to the properties would be "made good" and that all the residents had been contacted and were aware of what had happened.

He added that a structural engineer was due to identify the damage more thoroughly.

Currently, it could only be assessed from a distance.

He said: "There will be no road closures resulting from the collapse and the site is totally enclosed and safe to the general public."

Mr Attwood said they were working to a "defined contract", where they would first make the site safe by removing the unstable wall "brick by brick" and then construct "a new supporting structure".

He said that the evacuated residents had been given an indication they could be back in their homes by mid-February, while the end of the works was due for mid-April.

John Campion, Conservative Wyre Forest District Council leader, said: "I want to pay tribute to the diligence of Worcestershire Council Council and district officers.

"Their first priority was to protect life and limb and there's been a significant fall overnight.

"It could have been absolutely dreadful."