A PICTURESQUE 50-metre stretch of riverbank has crumbled into the Severn - but it can't be fixed because no one admits owning it.

A wall holding up the bank by the Diglis Hotel collapsed after a storm in June 24, and ever since legal experts have been working on establishing the identity of the owner.

Part of the footpath above has been fenced off and is likely to stay that way because no one will take responsibility.

David Denning, Worcestershire's highways partnership's maintenance manager, said: "It's impossible to say exactly how much it would cost to repair but it would take a serious amount of money.

"The problem we've got is trying to trace the owner. If no one owns up to it, it's a legal minefield."

Mr Denning said Worcestershire County Council, as highways authority, had its legal team working on untangling ownership. Neither the county council nor Worcester City Council are owners.

The wall is beside a stretch of riverbank repaired by Severn Trent Water in 2004 after a surge in the sewers caused a pipe to burst the bank

A Severn Trent spokeswoman said it had not been approached over the collapsed wall but did not believe it had been caused by the previous work.

She added: "We study all our work very carefully in a modelling exercise beforehand and nothing led us to believe it would cause any subsidence."

Mr Denning said the wall may have been built by a former owner of the Diglis House Hotel to allow mooring.

But Colin Tutin, Diglis House Hotel manager, said it was not current owner Julia Seymour's responsibility.

He said: "I hope something's done about it because it's quite dangerous. It's been fenced off but there's nothing underneath part of the tarmac."

Meanwhile residents of properties on Diglis Avenue near to the collapsed wall also expressed concerns.

Judy Thornborough said she thought it was something to do with the city's Victorian sewers, adding: "Every time it happens it's not repaired quickly. Something like that should be attended to.

"They really should be doing something with what's making it happen, especially with all this new development - how do they think it will cope with the ageing sewers?"

Pat Lewis said: "I'm concerned because we've suffered in the winter with the floods and all that water that comes down here will weaken it even more if nothing is done.

"If it keeps on doing that it'll weaken everything and could take the bank as well."

Diane Monk said: "If it's not properly dealt with in a fundamental way then it could just get worse."