Eerie labyrinth of tunnels where 'children went missing'

An eerie and dangerous labyrinth of caves explored generations ago runs underneath a Merseyside village.

Crank Caverns in Crank, St Helens, has been the subject of dark folktales and myths for centuries. Formerly Rainford Delph Quarry, the site's origins can be traced back to the beginning of the 18th century.

In later years, the complex network of caves and tunnels is believed to have been used as a game reserve and also an ammunition storage facility during the WWII. While today, due to its instability and health and safety, it is not officially open to the public, the exterior of the site can still be seen via a nearby footpath, the MEN reports.

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The first set of caverns has several excavated entrances leading down to a larger cave. As for the second set, it can be found north west of the first and at the bottom of a nearby ditch.

Over the years, the caves have suffered neglect, mainly due to fly-tipping and graffiti, but the mythology and stories surrounding it continue. The entrances and tunnels are man-made from its days as a quarry, but deeper, natural labyrinths are rumoured to be found.

One legend has it that during the Reformation, Catholics took shelter there when they were persecuted by King Henry VIII, gathering there for worship when Mass was outlawed. Other stories claim the network of passageways run for miles to distant locations, including St Helens Town Hall.

Even more bizarre are tales of witches, apparitions and unverified stories of human remains being discovered there. One tale from the late 18th century concerns a group of four children who vanished while exploring the caverns.

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Soldiers were reportedly sent into the caves and claimed they found a heap of bones and the ruins of an ancient church. They reported feeling like they were being watched and hearing voices. Sixty years ago, three people were rescued after getting lost in Crank Caverns.

Local teenagers, Jennifer Hurst, 18, Anthony Rigby, 18, and Anthony Jones, 16, were lost for 24 hours in the gloom of the caves back in April, 1965. Jennifer told the West Lancashire Reporter at the time: "We went to the caves on Sunday afternoon just to see them - but when we went inside we soon got lost in the passageways."

The group, equipped with two candles and a transistor radio, were said to have wandered through the honeycomb of caves and passages until their light failed. Jennifer said: "We were very scared and very hungry - we started shouting but no one heard us.

"The radio helped to stop us losing our heads, but I don't know what we would have done if we had not been found quickly." A search party later found the teenagers at the bottom of a 90ft cleft before they were hauled to safety.

Later the same month, the newspaper reported the caves beneath the disused quarry were to be sealed off with explosives by a Bolton cave rescue group. Despite this, the dangerous allure of the caves endured.

In July 1977, the MEN reported another three teenagers were found by a rescue team from Ashton-in-Makerfield after they became lost and were "wandering round in circles" inside the caverns.

Over the years, many stories, legends and myths have been shared, including the belief that there was a cathedral within Crank Caverns.

Legends also claim there were miles worth of tunnels under the site with a link to Lowe House Church in the town. Story of little boys being chased by dwarves has also been speculated and in the 1930s, a group of reporters went down looking for the dwarves.

The ECHO previously put a call out on social media to ask what myths and legends residents have heard about Crank Caverns and if they had ever visited. Samantha Ashton said: "I heard that there is a tunnel that takes you to Billinge Hill. That there is a church down there and that there were goblins.

"My hubby went in a bit further than I managed, which was literally the little gate. I don't like confined spaces." Kathryn Barnes said: "My grandad was gamekeeper after the war and the family lived in the white house as it went with the job.

"It seemed to be haunted because a door would slam and footsteps would be heard crossing the room but nobody was there."

Marie Comber commented: "We visited a few years ago it's very eerie and a little spooky but good to go and see, there's lots of videos online of people's ventures through the tunnels." David Pilkington posted: "The 'mousey' was a small opening at the far end of the caverns. You had to squeeze through a little hole but it soon opened up so you could walk.

"I went down with my brother in the 70s aged about 10/11 with an older lad. We took paraffin lanterns stolen from road works and chalk to write on the walls which way we were going.

"Maybe as a child it seemed a lot further than it actually was but I reckon we walked at least a mile underground, the older lad telling us we were under Billinge. We came back unscathed, however, years later I took my kids there and the mousey had been caged off with metal bars."

Tony Yates said: "I along with a lad, John Winstanley, entered the caverns via the mousehole, a thin opening to the left of the main entrances. The tunnel to the left had a roof fall and was blocked but we went quite deep to the right until we came to an underground lake and could go no further. Finding the way out was difficult because there are a lot of passageways. This would have been around 1964."

Recently, John Harris who runs the Derelict Manchester website, posted images of a short exploration he made of Crank Caverns. John's photographs show how the caves have become heavily graffitied over the years.

The images also reveal how the caverns are interconnected by deep tunnels, and that many cramped routes are no more than crawlspaces, requiring the skills of experienced potholers to navigate safely. More can be seen on his website here.

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