Swanscombe road 'at risk of further movement' after landslide

Thames Water say the water main under the collapsed road has been damaged

Initial investigations of a landslide in Kent show ground under the road "could be at risk of further movement".

Water supplies were cut off to homes and businesses when part of the A226 Galley Hill Road in Swanscombe collapsed on to a building below following a burst water main.

Properties are being supplied by tanker, while options are explored to install temporary pipework.

Thames Water said the cause of the landslide is still being investigated.

The company said it responded to reports of a large burst water main in Galley Hill Road on 10 April.

On Friday it said investigations had shown there had been damage to the water main running under the road, but the exact cause of the landslide is yet to be determined.

A spokesperson for Thames Water said: "A geotechnical survey is under way to determine the cause of the collapse, but initial investigations indicate that the ground under the road could be at risk of further movement."

The road remains closed in both directions between Swanscombe station on the High Street and Ebbsfleet United football club.

The cause of the landslide is still being investigated

Paul Waterman, whose car business WHM Autobody may have to relocate because of the landslide, said having to move premises, even temporarily, could threaten its survival.

"We've got nowhere to move to, and even if we did we'd be a month in the moving process" he said.

"We've got half-finished cars in there, lots of tools and equipment, a spray booth that's incorporated into the building, it's not something you can just up and move in a day.

"We've got a week's worth of just day to day customer work that was booked in for this week that's all on hold now. So that might possibly go elsewhere.

"So we're losing money, we're losing work. Every day that passes is a day further to going bankrupt."

Paul Waterman says his car repair business might not survive being relocated

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].