Underground hole shuts seafront road for weeks

Engineers say the hole is much larger underground

A busy Paignton seafront road will be closed for up to six weeks as engineers work to repair a huge hole under the ground.

Torbay Council confirmed the void, discovered under Sands Road, is much larger than first thought.

Engineers said the hole on the surface of the road is 1m (3ft) across, but is 3m (9ft) by 8m (26ft) wide underground and 3m deep.

The council said the road - closed since before the Easter weekend - would remain fenced off with diversions in place while work continues.

Council staff have been working with engineers from maintenance company SWISCo and South West Water to assess the extent of the void.

A spokesperson said: "Repair work has been complicated by difficult ground conditions and uncertainty over the stability of the void.

"A defect has also been found in a large drainage pipe under the road at a depth of 4.5 metres, which will need to be fixed."

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said contractors have now been appointed to carry out the repairs.