Thames Water lorry falls into sinkhole after sewer collapses

A water company's lorry has fallen into a sinkhole outside a primary school after a sewer collapsed.

On Saturday, the tanker was carrying out repairs on Evendons Lane, in Wokingham, when a hole opened up beneath it.

The road and Evendons Primary School have been closed since the collapse.

"Today we will be completing ground surveys so we can ensure the safe removal of the tanker," a spokesperson for Thames Water said.

Once the lorry is removed, the company said it would be able to repair the foul water sewer.

"We are working closely with the local council and other stakeholders to reduce the impact to local residents and the local school while we carry out our work," it added.

Road diversions are in place and traffic accessing to properties and businesses west of the school have to travel via Edneys Hill.

A statement from Bellevue Place Education Trust, which runs the primary school, said Thames Water advised it to stay closed today as "access to the school has been deemed unsafe for children at this stage".

"We are working closely with Thames Water and Wokingham Borough Council to understand the work required to resolve this and open the school as soon and as safely as possible, hopefully tomorrow," it added.

If the school remains shut on Tuesday, lessons will be provided online and laptops will be given to families without access to devices.

"It's really horrific and all I can say is thank god it wasn't a school day," resident Shelley Goodlad told the BBC.

"No lorry really should come down here, it's too small.

"Nobody's at school... we were going to see if a friend of ours could get out because she's probably stuck."

Wokingham Borough Council leader Clive Jones told the BBC: "Our main priority is making sure the nearby residents are safe and that the school can reopen as soon as possible.

"We will continue to support Thames Water, so they can resolve this situation quickly to allow Evendons Primary School to reopen as soon as possible."

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