A large sinkhole has opened up in a Surrey village – forcing the high street to be closed.
It happened after a water pipe burst, with some supplies to homes being affected.
Godstone High Street was shut between the Oxted Road and Bletchingley Road junctions, Surrey Police said after reports of the sinkhole emerged on Monday night.
A small number of buildings were evacuated as a precaution and a 100-metre cordon was put in place.
The sinkhole measured up to 62 feet (19m), according to reports, but this has not been confirmed by authorities.
SES Water said one of its main water pipes had burst on the high street and it has apologised for the disruption.
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An SES spokesperson said: “The road has been closed and our teams are on site, together with emergency services and other utility providers, working hard to fix this as quickly as possible.
“A diversion route is in place and we are required to redirect traffic onto a like-for-like A-road to ensure the safety of motorists during the repair process.
“Unfortunately, the burst has impacted water supplies to homes in the area and we’re sorry for the disruption this is causing customers.
“We’re working hard to reroute water from across our network to restore supply for those customers.”
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Avoid the area
In a post on Facebook, Surrey Police said: “If you are in the area, please follow the directions of the emergency services.
“There is currently a large emergency services presence in the area. The road is likely to be closed for an extended period of time – please avoid the area if you can.”
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Last month, a sinkhole the size of a small swimming pool opened up in Japan, swallowing a truck and trapping its driver.
In December, a sinkhole appeared on a housing estate near Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales, while in Pennsylvania the body of a woman who fell into a sinkhole was found.
