Families evacuated as 'terrifying' sinkhole appears

Families have described a "terrifying" evacuation as a massive sinkhole appeared in their street, cutting off water supplies and swallowing at least one property's garden.

The hole first appeared in Godstone High Street, Surrey, late on Monday night, growing to at least 65ft (20m) by Tuesday lunchtime.

Shortly after 00:30 GMT on Tuesday, police told people living in William Way, Godstone, to "get out as quickly as possible" over fears of an explosion caused by exposed cables.

One resident, who moved in less than a week ago, said he was forced to sleep in his car, while another returned to find his back garden falling into the hole.

Police said road closures would be in place for some time and confirmed that a small number of buildings have been evacuated as a precaution.

A Surrey Highways spokesperson advised people to avoid the area.

Rez Mira and his family had to leave his home in the early hours of Tuesday morning and stayed with relatives.

He returned to find his garden falling into the sinkhole.

"It's collapsed, the wall will come down, for sure," he said.

"We're just terrified. We have to figure out where to live now. Next week school is going back and we have to find somewhere close by."

SES Water said it was aware of a burst water main in Godstone High Street in the early hours of Tuesday morning, which was affecting water supply to homes in the area.

Teams had been deployed to carry out urgent work, a spokesperson for the company said.

Robin Sherry said police told him and his family "to get out as quick as possible" over fears of an explosion caused by exposed cables.

"I booked a hotel down the road, but I know some people stayed in their car and some people went to families," he said.

Local resident Paul Whelan described how quickly the sinkhole developed, after pictures were initially posted on social media at about 23:00 on Monday.

"A hole maybe a couple of feet across started up," he told BBC Radio Surrey. "Now it's grown quite a lot after the burst water main."

Josh Neame had only been living in his property for six days when he was evacuated, and spent the night sleeping in his car parked by the local green.

"They've just let me in now - over my shoulder is a bag of toiletries, pants and socks to get me through," he said.

"I don't know what's going to come from here, no-one can give me any info. They said it could be up to a week before we're back in. I don't think they know what state the mains gas and electric's in, so it was risk of explosion, fire, collapse.

"My life's still in boxes, I hadn't even unpacked from the house move.

"Not what you wanted on a Monday night."

Derek Parker said he was "homeless" after being evacuated on Monday night with his two dogs.

The private tenant, whose landlord lives abroad and is so far uncontactable, also suffers with a bowel condition and has found finding a toilet he can use difficult.

Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council's cabinet member for highways, said by 09:30 GMT on Tuesday the hole had grown to 65ft (20m) by 20ft (6m).

"At this stage, we're working with the utility companies. Our key aim at the moment is to secure the site and make it safe," he said.

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