FORMER pupils of a Gourock school that is now set to become a community garden have relived the day that a ten-foot hole opened up in their playground.

Nicola Doak and Alice Woodman attended the former St Ninian's Primary in the 1970s, when a section of the playground suddenly caved in due to an old mineshaft lying under it.

Alice, who also lived on nearby Staffa Street, told the Tele she fears the incident 'could happen again' and says locals will need assurances from Inverclyde Council before any work commences on the proposed community garden.

The Tele recently revealed that mineshaft waste and 'potential pollutants' had been identified at the former school site and adjacent land within a 100-page council report.

It pinpointed the presence of the abandoned mineshaft as well as a number of other potential sources of contamination linked to historic activities at the site.

Nicola and Alice were pupils at the old St Ninian's between 1972 and 1979, and recall that around a third of the school playground was sealed off for weeks due to the collapse.

Mrs Woodman said: "They said the mineshaft had collapsed and that was it, we weren't told anything else and it was shut for weeks.

"Thinking back on it now it could have collapsed at any time, it could have happened while we were out playing.

"I think they would need to look into it very carefully before anything else is done to the site.

"Knowing what they're going to be doing with the land, and knowing what it's been like in the past, I would be concerned that there's a lot of stuff in the ground that might be dangerous that's still there from years ago.

"My grandfather worked in the mines and used to tell me that the school was built on a four way system.

"Obviously there are still shafts under here, anything could happen, it could happen again.

"If it's happened once it could happen a second time.

"If the land is going to be something that's being built for the community then they need the reassurance that it's not going to give way under them."

In February the Tele revealed that the site was being earmarked for a community garden, with a bike track, boating pond and growing area all suggested as part of the green space development.

Mrs Doak said that she was in favour of the garden idea in principle, as long as appropriate experts are brought in to ensure its safety.

She added: "We were about eight or nine when it happened, the playground was shut off.

"The fencing around it took up around a third of the playground.

"If that sort of thing happened now I reckon the whole school would've been shut down.

"We need to know this site is safe, someone with the right expertise will have to check it out.

"When you hear that it was built on a mineshaft it makes you wonder why there was a school here in the first place.

"I think it's good that they're building the community garden here, but they need to make sure it's all safe first."

An Inverclyde Council spokesperson confirmed that the local authority were aware of the mineshaft.

They said: “We are aware of the historical records indicating the presence of a shaft at the former school site.

"The former school site is currently fenced off and closed to the public.

"Further investigations would be required to determine what further action may be required, before any future development of the site.”