Slip restricts access to hill

PRECARIOUS: Slipping in front of this Rees St home has affected Portal St. PHOTO/ A_220615WCBRCFLOWE02

A slip at the bottom end of Portal St is restricting access to Wanganui's Durie Hill.

Part of the hillside directly in front of a Rees St house perched precariously above Portal St came down after damaging rains swept the city on June 20-21.

The sole occupant of the house was evacuated.

Late yesterday Wanganui District Council engineers said Portal St would have to be closed until further notice and issued traffic diversion notices.

But by 4.30pm the situation had changed, with engineers saying that containers would be positioned beneath the slip to stop material falling across the road between Anzac Parade and Forres St.

Traffic controls will be in place to manage vehicles and the walkway up the hill from Anzac Parade will remain open.

In light of the restrictions on Portal St, Riverview Four Square has put up its hand to help inconvenienced householders with a free delivery of grocery orders.

Mike Woodhead, who took over the store at the bottom of Durie Hill 14 months ago, said he was already offering free delivery to customers in Wanganui East.

"But with this problem on Portal St, we thought we'd extend the service," he said.

"People simply call us and we'll get their orders together and make the delivery."