A SINKHOLE which is 'at least 10ft wide each way' has opened up in a road in Colchester.
Ringway Jacobs is currently at Athelstan Road, where a gaping hole has emerged in the road.
Tony Argent, who lives nearby, captured photos of the damage.
He said: "If you look down into the road it extends at least 10ft each way.
"The chap who I spoke to carrying out work said they may have to take up 20ft of road.
"I think the sewer is leaking, I have noticed subsidence there for some time.
"They are going to be left with quite a large hole."
Traffic is being controlled along the road.
An Essex Highways spokesman said: “This hole on Athelstan Road was first noticed late on Tuesday afternoon, our inspector visited and made sure we made the area safe immediately.
"We don’t yet know what caused it, but we are liaising with Anglian Water in case it is a sewage pipe that has failed under the road.
"We will need to excavate to try to find the cause of the problem and to understand the extent of the undermining of the road surface.
"The road is closed while we carry out the work, which is likely to take several hours, depending on what we find as we excavate.”
UPDATE 2.43PM: Anglian Water has confirmed it is a sewage issue.
Update: Athelstan Rd hole #Colchester: Anglian Water are now working to repair the failed sewer pipe under the road which caused the problem. They will then fill the hole and reinstate the road surface as soon as possible @yourcolchester @AnglianWater pic.twitter.com/hYESXwxaED
— Essex Highways (@essexhighways) May 2, 2018
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