Click to watch video

There's no question Stephen Thorp has an interesting view on the side of his business.

Only problem is it's disappearing.

"Every time it rains I lose six to a foot of ground and probably in the next month or so it's probably going to be up to the door swallowing my business in,” said Thorp.

That’s right swallowing his business.

The ditch next to his auto body shop is  not being tended to, constantly eating away the surrounding area.

11 News

'Orphan ditches' threaten properties

"I used to be able to walk 20-25 feet and now I can't even do 10 or 11 (feet),” said Thorp.

He worries it may hurt his business, but more importantly hurt something else.

"It's getting so narrow over here it's just a matter of time before a kid gets hurt or worse,” he said.

Across town, John Mayweather worries about the same thing.

"There's no telling what's up in there, they had an alligator up in there once,” said Mayweather.

Eight years ago, he built a fence to keep the neighborhood kids from falling into this abandoned ditch.

Those types of runaway ditches are not unique. Turns out there are dozens across our area. So many in fact, the city has dubbed them orphan ditches, because no one wants to claim them.

"Flood control, the city and county. Everybody back and forward,” said Mayweather.

Back and forth for 28 years in Mayweather's case, three years for thorp's.

"I don't care if they drop dirt in there if they put concrete in there,” said Thorp.

Anything that'll fix the problem and keep his business on the ground instead of the water.