I don't live in that area any more, and was only ever 20m away, but the ends of the Bridgwater Canal and the Trent and Mersey Canal are nearby - Preston Brook - and canal fishing has never been dear. And anglers are fishing the Weaver in the stretches between Northwich and the Mersey these days, and that probably doesn't cost a fortune. I used to catch carp at a big watersports lake called Manley Mere between Runcorn and Chester and that was the usual £5 day ticket. There's a bloke called Danny who does a blog on Maggotdrowners forum who probably knows all the fishing near Runcorn if you want to chase him up and ask.