Engineers began an urgent investigation on Monday to find out what is causing the gardens of homes in Calne to subside. Residents in Churchill Close have lost between five and ten feet from their gardens that back on to subsiding land owned by North Wiltshire District Council.

The houses are a mixture of privately owned and Westlea Housing Association properties.

They fear the subsidence will eventually reach their houses making them unfit to live in if something is not done urgently.

Members of the district council executive committee visited the site last month after residents invited them to view the scale of the problem themselves. After seeing the extent of the damage they called an emergency meeting to discuss the situation with residents.

District councillor Simon Coy said he believes the money must be found to carry out the remedial work as soon as possible.

A footpath that ran behind the houses has now disappeared as more and more soil slides down the bank.

Mother-of-four Ingrid Symth said the situation is a living nightmare and they are terrified that their gardens will disappear altogether.

"Something different happens everyday, you can see the earth moving and the movement is accelerating," she said.

"It is very frightening. We have been trying to get something done for seven years."

MP Michael Ancram also visited the site in December and was concerned by what he saw.

He immediately wrote to the council's chief executive Bob Marshall to demand that urgent action be taken.

"It seems incredible that in the light of what in one form or another is an imminent danger to property and possibly to persons there can be any further delay," wrote the MP.

"Talk of boreholes and further surveys in the circumstances is almost offensive. What is required is urgent action before the situation deteriorates further."

He asked that the council give him an outline of the timetable planned to carry out the work.

At the emergency meeting residents questioned members of the executive and Mr Marshall about what they were planning to do to solve the problem. Westlea failed to attend the meeting.

At present residents are unable to sell their properties because of the extent of the landslip.

Coun Coy, lead member for finance, said although he could not comment on liability he personally felt that the work had to be done and the council should find the extra cash.

He said: "I feel these people have suffered enough. I feel we should go ahead with the work on a without prejudice basis. We have to find the money in whatever way we can."

The council has employed surveyors to investigate the site and carry out borehole tests before repair work begins.

"We can't solve the problem until we know what the problem actually is," said Coun Coy.

The results of the investigation will be produced in three to five months and go before the executive committee and then the full council.

But Mrs Symth remains unconvinced. "They have told us there is a possible probability that they will consider doing remedial work.

"That doesn't mean anything," she said.