Residents express concern as sinkhole closes road

Residents have spoken of their concerns after a hole with a large void underneath appeared over the weekend, leaving a village road closed.

The sinkhole on Church Street, which is only about the size of a tennis ball on the surface, is the fourth to appear around Storrington in the last two years.

One resident said repair work on recent sinkholes and potholes had been “superficial", while another said this road closure was affecting his trade.

West Sussex Highways said it did not have a date yet for the repair due to other scheduled works.

The sinkhole was first reported on Saturday and the road was closed by Sussex Police.

In a Facebook post, Horsham Police said: "Although on the surface this looks like a small hole, underneath the road there is a void measuring roughly 6ft by 6ft."

The force said West Sussex Highways was aware and barriers were in place for the safety of all road users.

Resident Jeremy Thornton-Smith said the hole appeared on Saturday morning and seemed quite deep.

“There’s rumours of tunnels running from one part of Church Street up to Smugglers Cottage," he said.

"I think if a vehicle were to drive over or park on it, it could subside,” he added.

MB Shoe Repairs said the road being closed was “not great for business” as it had lots of customers who parked outside.

Resident Hilary Fritche said: “It’s a bit of a concern, but more of a concern is the sinkholes are patched up a bit - a superficial mending to make it safe for a while.”

Another resident, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s very small but underneath it’s quite a cavern. We’re just at the bottom of the Downs so the water runs down here.

“There is what looks like a sinkhole outside the church which was repaired this time last year. It looks like it’s coming back.

“There is another one in Fern Road which had to be fixed last year.

"I hope the village isn’t going to disappear into a hole.”

West Sussex County Council said it did not have a date for the sinkhole to be repaired due to other works that had been scheduled, but it had taken "immediate steps" to ensure public safety.

The county council says it will excavate and investigate the cause and extent of the sinkhole before backfilling and fully restoring the road surface.

A spokesperson added: "While we understand the concerns of residents regarding previous repairs, we want to reassure everyone that this situation is being treated with urgency and thoroughness.”