This is how a children's play area in Gorton looked last night...residents aren't happy

Equipment and benches were left submerged in water at Sunnybrow Park

A children's play area was left under water after a park in Gorton badly flooded.

Locals say it is the third time this year it has happened at Sunnybrow Park off Hyde Road.

The park, which opened in 1905 and is named after a farm of the same name which stood on the site, is set in a natural steep valley.

The Gore Brook, a fast flowing stream which runs under Hyde Road from Gorton Reservoir, runs through the middle of the park.

The park is popular with both dog walkers and parents.

But in bad weather, nearby residents say it is common for the area to be flooded if the culverts become blocked.

On Thursday evening, after a day of heavy rain, a huge swathe of the council run park was left under water.

Equipment such as swings and a climbing frame in a children's play area was submerged in what appeared to be several feet of water. Benches were barely visible.

A bridge which allows people to walk over the brook was also completely flooded, meaning people could not cross it and were forced to walk round.

The council say leaves which have fallen from trees in the park blocked a culvert with heavy rain, causing water to back up and pool at the bottom of the valley.

The water had subsided when the Manchester Evening News visited the park on Friday morning.

But nearby residents said they believed action needed to be taken to prevent a repeat.

"It was really bad" said Philip Jackson, 72, who lives facing the park.

"Unbelievable. I don't know how deep it was but I wasn't about to go down there and find out.

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"I've been here 19 years now and it seems to happen whenever there's a bit of rain. That is always the first place it floods.

"It's not good really. It puts the whole park out of action.

"It's dangerous as well, there being that much water at a place that's meant for kids.

"The brook is always full of rubbish and I think it needs cleaning out as there's obviously a blockage somewhere."

Frank Ekgren, 74, said: "It was completely underwater.

"I walk my dog Tia here every day and it's at least the third time this year it's happened, where the bridge is not crossable.

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"It's certainly not ideal when you've got a lot of elderly people and kids around.

"It leaves it really dirty with all the mud and silt and people could slip on it."

A Manchester City Council spokesman said: "High levels of rainfall, combined with seasonal leaf-fall, caused a culvert in the brook which runs through Sunny Brow Park to be blocked. 

"The situation has now been resolved and we are reviewing arrangements for how the area is inspected and cleared in future, to mitigate against the risk of further flooding."