Motorists had a lucky escape when a 10-foot deep hole appeared in a road in Hinckley, Leicestershire yesterday (Wednesday 21 August).
Emergency services said it was amazing that no vehicle had ended up down the hole.
Police closed off a section of the B590 Southfield Road while the incident was dealt with.
Running water could be the cause of erosion that may have caused the collapse of road material.
Speaking to the Leicester Mercury incident commander Steve Moore, red watch manager at Hinckley fire station, said: “It is amazing that no vehicle has ended up down this hole. The hole is only the size of a manhole on the surface but underneath is a sizeable cavern big enough to swallow a small family car.
“This erosion must have been happening for a while and it could have given way at any time. Any vehicle that has been driving along this stretch of the road in the last few days could have gone down the hole. We drove along the road itself this morning so we could have easily been us down in the cavern.
“It is a stroke of luck that no driver has been swallowed up in this incident.”
No-one was injured in the incident and the road is expected to remain closed until the end of today (Thursday 22 August).
