Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

A resident who was evacuated from her house after a large hole appeared in Fontmell Close in St Albans has told BBC News how it "suddenly appeared overnight". 

Speaking from the reception centre at Batchwood Sports Centre she said: "I understand from people who live very close to the sinkhole that there was a noise, a sort of deep, growling noise as the road disappeared down, what I'm told is a very deep hole."  

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Hertfordshire County Council has told us gas, electricity and water supplies have been cut off to 52 properties in Fontmell Close (pictured) and nearby Brindle Close.

St Albans City and District Council set up a reception centre for residents at Batchwood Leisure Centre and 20 people were evacuated from their homes at 03:15.

The council said specialist highways engineers were assessing the situation.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Specialist teams from across Hertfordshire have been working together to help residents after a hole opened up in Fontmell Close overnight.

Image source, South Beds News Agency

The county council's resilience team, external has been working with the fire service, police and St Albans City and District Council. 

All utility services have also been on site, along with three Red Cross volunteers who are providing emotional and practical support to those affected.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Hertfordshire County Council says the "return to normal" in Fontmell Close where a large hole has opened up "is likely to take weeks".

It confirmed no-one has been injured and no houses damaged, but all agencies in the county were working together to support the families affected. 

The council said it also wanted to reassure people that holes of this kind often crop up for historic reasons, and it's rare for them to turn into large holes.

Tony Fisher
BBC Three Counties Radio

St Albans district councillor Beric Read has told me he believes the hole in Fontmell Close is growing.

"I think it grew a little bit about an hour or two ago so it's not totally stable yet... it might grow a bit more," he said.

"The engineers have got to look at it and decide the best way to make it safe which is probably a case of partially filling it in and then scanning it to see if there's any other holes under the ground."

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Hertfordshire County Council has confirmed it was told about a hole in the footpath last week and it was scheduled to be filled in this morning.

"It was inspected and barriers put around it on Monday," a statement said.

"Following our inspection, there was no reason to suspect that the hole would collapse."

Helicopter footage has been released showing the extent of the damage caused by the massive "sinkhole" in Fontmell Close, St Albans.

Tony Fisher
BBC Three Counties Radio

The huge hole that's opened up in Fontmell Close in St Albans has attracted loads of media attention.

Both the BBC and Sky have sent up helicopters and this picture shows me (far left) sending my reports back to the newsroom as ground camera crews gather.

Image source, South Beds News Agency

Tony Fisher
BBC Three Counties Radio

A man who lives near Fontmell Close in St Albans has told me how the hole started opening up a week ago and a postman was injured when he stepped in it.

Steve Lynch said a small hole opened up around a manhole cover and the sound of running water was coming from inside.

"My wife saw the local postman pulling himself pretty much out of the hole and dusting himself down... he was rolling around on the street looking quite badly injured," Mr Lynch said.

Tony Fisher
BBC Three Counties Radio

I'm in Fontmell Close in St Albans where a massive hole has opened up overnight. The road is closed off and representatives from utilities companies are here.

Steve Lynch, who lives in a nearby street, told me he was woken at about 03:30 during a power cut and saw blue lights flashing in Fontmell Close.

He said the "ginormous" hole was "not the sort of thing you expect to see in St Albans".

The BBC has flown a camera over the site of a 20m (66ft) wide and 10m (33ft) deep "sinkhole" in Fontmell Close, St Albans. This is what the damage looks like.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

This morning we've been telling you about a large hole which has opened up in Fontmell Close in St Albans overnight.

However, until the cause has been established, we can't say for certain if it's a "sinkhole".

Image source, South Beds News Agency

When we reported on the hole that opened up in Hemel Hempstead last year (pictured), an engineering geologist told us a crown hole is governed by man-made factors while a sinkhole which is formed naturally.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

People have been visiting the BBC Three Counties Facebook page, external to comment on the "sinkhole" that’s opened up in St Albans.

Alan Winter, external asks: " Is anyone looking into it?" while Wilkinson Kayne, external said: "It is inevitable that "sink holes" will increase whilst we keep drilling holes in the Earth. The Earth core is a tad hot - seriously!".

Meanwhile on the BBC Look East Facebook, external page, Fran Leslie, external says: "Wow! Best excuse of the week, 'I'm not coming in to work today; there's a sink hole in front of my house'!'"

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

A massive sinkhole has opened up on a residential street in St Albans, forcing the evacuation of several families from their homes in the night.

Reporter Tony Fisher is on his way to the scene and we'll bring you more on this story as soon as possible.

An evacuation centre has been set up at Batchwood Hall (pictured), which is normally a nightclub.

Image source, Google

The Herts Advertiser, external says 58 homes on Fontmell Close have been left without electricity, water or gas after the hole opened up.

It's also attracting national attention with Sky News, external, LBC, external, Huffington Post, external and ITV, external covering the story.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

We've had a few reports of holes opening up in Beds, Herts and Bucks in recent years.

In February 2014, a hole estimated to be 35ft (9m) wide and 20ft (6m) deep opened up in Oatridge Gardens, Hemel Hempstead (pictured).

Image source, Hertfordshire Police/PA

Two weeks earlier, a sinkhole measuring 30ft (9m) deep appeared on the driveway of a house on Main Road in Walter's Ash in High Wycombe and swallowed the family's VW Lupo car.

BBC News UK

Sinkholes are created when the surface layer of the ground collapses - they vary in size and are found all over the world.

BBC News has looked at some of the biggest sinkholes in recent history and the various causes that can lead to these chasms in the ground.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said at least 10 people were evacuated from their homes at about 03:15 after the hole opened up in Fontmell Close (pictured).

Image source, Google

They spent the rest of the night at Batchwood Hall where an evacuation centre was set up. 

All utilities have been isolated and nearby Bridle Close is also affected.  

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

I've just been speaking to Hertfordshire Fire Service who have told me a hole measuring about 20m x 20m (66ft) and 10m (33ft) deep has opened up in Fontmell Close, St Albans.

Image source, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service

It said it was a small hole which it was already aware of and was due to be filled in but the service got a call at 01:30 this morning to say it had "opened up substantially" overnight.