A large sinkhole in a Fenland town has been "made safe" this afternoon.
Stephanie Wellbelove, who lives in Wisbech, was on her mobility scooter at the weekend when she encountered the hole in Victoria Place.
She said: "Now this isn't a tiny hole - if a person's leg fell into it, they would have quite the injury."
She attempted to report it to the correct department within Cambridgeshire County Council, however, this was not successful.
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"The reporting section of the site was down for maintenance," she said.
"The only other way of reporting it was from 9am to 5pm weekdays."
The sinkhole has since been "made safe" by highways representatives.
A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: “We have been made aware of a hole in Victoria Place, Wisbech.
"Our highways team has attended the site, and the area has been made safe.”
The sinkhole in Victoria Place, Wisbech (Image: Stephanie Wellbelove)
What is a sinkhole?
A sinkhole is a depression in the ground’s surface caused by erosion of the underlying rock, according to the British Geological Survey.
They often appear saucer-shaped but can look like cones, cylindrical potholes or deeper shafts upon formation.
Sinkholes vary dramatically in size and depth – some span less than a metre, while others stretch hundreds of metres.
Why do they happen?
While sinkholes can open up for several reasons, their formation is usually because of a place’s geology.
However, human factors can be a cause, and the British Geological Survey cites broken water mains, modified drainage and surface water diversion as reasons for subsidence.
More commonly, sinkholes develop when highly soluble rocks like chalk or limestone dissolve after reacting with acidic rainwater.
The soluble rocks form karst – a landscape associated with underground caves and sinkholes.
If the soluble rock lies beneath another layer of rock, it can be slowly dissolved under the surface without presenting immediate evidence of depression before collapsing suddenly.
How is a sinkhole repaired and how long does it take?
The time it takes to fill a sinkhole depends on a number of factors, including its size, depth and proximity to nearby buildings and infrastructure, according to information published by the Government.
Considerations have to be made when using heavy machinery to fill a sinkhole, as the weaker sides of the formation can be prone to collapse under weight.
The area around the opening may have to be secured before direct construction on the hole can take place.
One common way of repairing sinkholes is to refill the opening with a sand and cement mix.
In rural areas it can be more sustainable to excavate down and cap off the hole with reinforced concrete.
This process is beneficial as the extent of the hole can be properly surveyed, and so the right amount of backfilling can be carried out.
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