Godstone hole solution could take months - council

Lloyd Allen is Surrey County Council's infrastructure team manager

Residents in a Surrey village where two large sinkholes have appeared have been told a solution could take "several months".

The original hole appeared in Godstone High Street on 17 February before growing to at least 65ft (20m) long by lunchtime the following day.

On Wednesday, Surrey County Council's infrastructure team manager Lloyd Allen said the local authority had not yet looked at the "underlying problems" and designed a solution.

"That investigation and potential solution can take several months to uncover the actual extent of what we're dealing with," he added.

Foam concrete has been put in the main hole to stop it growing

Although some people from the 30 homes that were evacuated had already returned, others were told at a meeting on 25 February it could be up to a year before they were all able to move back into their properties.

Mr Allen said the council hopes residents can return "a lot sooner than we forecasted originally, but those decisions have yet to be made".

Foam concrete has been pumped into the main hole to stabilise it and to stop it growing, although Mr Allen says this is a "temporary situation".

It will be used as a platform to carry out further works and testing.