WHAT LIES BENEATH...

URBAN EXPLORERS UNCOVER THE HISTORY INSIDE SOME OF THE CITY'S SPECTACULAR HIDDEN SEWERS AND DRAINS

- LEE GRIMSDITCH

DEEP below the streets lies a vital part of Manchester's infrastructure that most people will never see.

The city's drains and sewers ensure Manchester remains sanitary by managing wastewater and stormwater to prevent flooding and contamination.

During the Industrial Revolution, Manchester's population exploded thanks to the boom in the textile trade, which transformed the small market town into an industrial powerhouse.

Migrants arrived in huge numbers to work in the cotton mills and factories.

However, the unchecked growth of Manchester's population placed a huge burden on its infrastructure - making it one of the country's most overcrowded and unhealthy places. The filthy conditions meant death rates soared and life expectancy crashed.