Sinkhole repairs delayed but no end date confirmed

It is now nine months since the 20m (60ft) hole opened up in Godstone

Work to repair a Surrey road which collapsed nine months ago will not be completed until March at the earliest, a water company has said.

In June, engineers working for Surrey County Council (SCC) said a network of Victorian sand-mining tunnels around Godstone High Street may "provide a clue" as to why the giant sinkhole appeared in February.

SES Water, which is waiting for confirmation the ground around the hole is stable before repairs on pipes can begin, said work would continue until at least March.

SCC had initially hoped to reopen the street in December but now says it is unable to give even a rough date for the work to be finished.

A council spokesperson said: "Work is continuing on Godstone High Street to fully understand the extent of the underground mine network and to fill and stabilise the caves.

"Having now concluded our in-depth investigations of the mine network, we have uncovered a much larger tunnel network than expected.

"In addition, the sand we have uncovered is very unstable and we are having to take a lot more time filling the mines to ensure the area is safe."

Parts of the pavement have reopened to pedestrians but all traffic is still unable to access the area as the road remains shut.

The council said it had uncovered a large tunnel network under the ground

SES Water has begun some repairs in an area outside the council's cordon.

It told residents last week there were two elements of work that needed to be completed.

The first involves re-lining a 16in (41cm) mains water pipe beneath the southbound carriageway. This work has begun and is set to be finished in February, it said.

The second is re-laying a eight-inch (20cm) mains water pipe, which is dependent on assurance that the ground is safe.

But nine months on from the collapse, Mark Cullinan, landlord of the nearby Hare and Hounds pub has had enough.

Landlord Mike Cullinan said the ongoing works were "pathetic"

He told Radio Surrey the ongoing road closure was "ridiculous" and that trade had dropped "quite considerably" since the collapse.

He added: "We just don't know from one day to the next whether we're going to be busy or whether it's worth opening the door.

"We can sustain it a little bit, but at the end of the day it's going to hurt. All the people who used to come through the village are now going different ways.

"It's pathetic how they can't fix it, it really is."