Repairs to begin on suspected sinkhole in Cambridge

Repairs to a suspected sinkhole in Cambridge will begin today.

Cambridgeshire County Council has ordered the work in Victoria Road.

Residents said the hole began to appear in mid-June, and they called police on the evening of June 22 after it grew, revealing what appeared to be an empty space below. Officers closed part of the road.

A council spokesperson told the Cambridge Independent: “A sinkhole on Victoria Road near the turn-off for Garden Walk has been reported to our team. We have visited site to inspect and placed cones and barriers around the sinkhole. Urgent works have been ordered to resolve the problem, with work planned to start on Monday.”

Resident Cheryl Osterfield, 42, said: “Some of us are worried the hole will get bigger fast, as it appears to have done so far, and that it could damage our homes.”

Last month, Orchard Street in Whittlesey was closed after a sinkhole developed in the middle of the road overnight. Another appeared in Walton Road, Wisbech, in October 2019 due to a burst water main.

Sinkholes can be caused when soluble bedrock is dissolved by water, or by issues such as collapsed or cracked sewer pipes.

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