ALONG a strip of shuttered shops, a crumbling upholstery store missing half its sign tells a sad story of the problems blighting Britain’s debt capital.
The Cheshire town of Runcorn, along with neighbouring Widnes, in the Borough of Halton, has just been named as the with .
Shops in this town centre are boarded up and dilapidatedCredit: Zenpix
Roy Cavanagh, 89, has seen the town go downhillCredit: Zenpix
Large parts of the town are deprivedCredit: Zenpix
The area topped the list, compiled by ViFi UK Finance Team, for unmanageable debt – recording the highest rates of insolvency, debt relief orders, and breathing space registrations.
The Sun spoke to one resident who has racked up £42,000 in debts and another who owes £33,000 thanks to a crippling drug habit.
The dad-of-three, 34, said: “I am drowning in debt – it’s a nightmare.
“I just bought stuff for myself and my family which I couldn’t afford.
“I couldn’t stop – I bought crazy stuff from catalogues and then took out expensive loans.
“It became a real problem. Then I’d get depressed about it and turned to cocaine and drink which didn’t help.
“I’m ashamed about it.”
One 43-year-old mum, who also did not wish to be identified, revealed she lost more than £30,000 through casino nights and a drug habit.
She said: “It got out of hand when I used slot machines and lost up to £500 a time.
“It became a nightmare and then I started using drugs to block out the worry and things got worse and worse.
“I ended up on crack at one point. It was a nightmare.
“I’ve given up the drugs and gambling after I got help when I got evicted from our flat.
“I could see the damage I was doing to my kids. It was shocking.”
Sitcom fame
The industrial town, which was a new town created in 1964, is known for its chemical production and Silver Jubilee Bridge, which crosses the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal.
Cult TV show was set in the town.
Terry Gibbons, 71, has seen a lot of poverty in the townCredit: Zenpix
The industrial town is known for its chemical production and the Sliver Jubilee bridgeCredit: AFP
The sitcom Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps was set hereCredit: BBC
The BBC sitcom shot the likes of to fame.
It revolved around five twenty-something friends who enjoyed boozing in the pub and ran for 10 years from 2001.
Parts of the town, however, are considered deprived – with locals blaming teen gangs, drug problems, poor housing and lack of jobs.
Pensioner Terry Gibbons, 71, said: “There’s a lot of poverty here and not a lot of jobs. That’s why people get into debt.
There’s a lot of deprivation in the town and it has gone downhill
Roy Cavanagh
“I know a few people who have got into thousands of pounds’ worth of debt.
“They got into drink and drugs and so get into debt. It’s very sad.
“But there’s not a lot the Government has done for this place. Like the rest of the country this place is going to the dogs.
“There’s not enough jobs, too much crime and too many illegal immigrants here now.”
Feral kids
Retired ICI chemicals worker Roy Cavanagh, 89, said: “There’s a lot of deprivation in the town and it has gone downhill.
“It doesn’t surprise me that this area is the debt capital of Britain.
“There’s a lot of poverty here and there doesn’t seem to be as many jobs or opportunities anymore.”
Mum-of-three Emma Hughes, 38, said: “Some of my friends are single mums on benefits and they have got into a lot of debt.
“One ended up owing £5,000 – she took out loans as she didn’t have any money for Christmas for her four kids.
“Then she couldn’t afford the interest. She became really stressed about it.
“There’s not a lot of money here so people struggle.”
Locals have blamed ‘feral’ kids for anti-social behaviourCredit: Zenpix
Brian Chaffer has seen a lot of drug dealing around the townCredit: Zenpix
Getting off a bus in the Castlefields area of the town, pensioner Brian Chaffer blames poor housing, unemployment, crime and anti-social behaviour for the town’s problems.
The 75-year-old retired landscape gardener said: “A lot of the kids round here are feral.
“They create a lot of problems running around destroying stuff.
“There’s also a lot of drug dealing and some of the housing is really bad.
“The kids are bored as there’s not much to do and not many jobs.
“People don’t have a lot of money so they get into debt.”
I know a lot of people who take ketamine at the weekends as an escape as there’s not much to do here
Kylie Brown
Mum-of-one Kylie Brown, 23, said: “It’s a bit of a rundown town and not many people have much money.
“I know a lot of people who take ketamine at the weekends as an escape as there’s not much to do here.
“You see them standing around in clubs like statues.
“But they end up with really bad health problems. People look to get out of here and go to Liverpool or Manchester.
“However this is my home and I love it here, despite there not being much money.”
Poverty trap
Halton’s were revealed in a new study by ViFi UK Finance Team.
The area scored 8.57 out of 10 on the study’s debt index — more than three times the national average.
A study by ViFi found the town tops the UK for unmanageable debtCredit: Zenpix
The new town was drawn up in the 1960sCredit: Alamy
Ben Steele, founder of ViFi UK Finance Team, said: “The data shows a concerning picture of debt inequality across different regions of the UK, with certain areas facing significantly higher levels of financial distress than others.
“The high rates of insolvencies and debt relief orders in places like Halton and Blackpool highlight how the aftermath of the cost-of-living crisis is still being felt acutely in certain communities.”
Ben added: “Anyone struggling should reach out early to organisations such as Citizens Advice or StepChange, as free, confidential help is available before problems escalate.”
Halton recorded 64 insolvency cases, 38 debt relief orders, and 48 breathing space registrations per 10,000 adults.
It also had the second-highest bankruptcy rate of nearly three per 10,000 adults.
Halton Borough Council have been contacted for comment.
