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IT WAS SUPPOSED to be a normal Sunday afternoon for one couple in England but instead they ended up with a sinking feeling (sorry).
A large 30ft deep sinkhole opened up in Phil and Liz Conran’s driveway in Buckinghamshire in southern England yesterday, swallowing their car whole.
Nobody was inside the Volkswagen Lupo when the ground beneath it gave way. The car is still at the bottom of the hole where it is covered with rubble.
Phil Conran looks out of a window from his home.
Obviously we’re not geologists but this is one hole-y impressive geological feature. (Again, we’re so sorry).
Emergency services were called to the scene and spent an hour assessing the situation. “Firefighters placed a cordon around it and gave safety advice,” a spokesperson for Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority said.
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A view of inside the sinkhole. The outline of the car can be seen at the bottom.
The local council has said it is working to help repair the hole. In the meantime, the couple have been advised to find somewhere else to stay while further investigations are carried out.
Sinkholes in the UK (and Ireland) are very rare, with most appearing in rural locations. They are caused by underground water hollowing out the ground and causing the surface to give way.
Surveyors look at the damage caused.
Phil and Liz Conran standing outside their home in High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire.
Monday 23 December, 2024
Monday 23 December, 2024
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Well hole-y god: Giant sinkhole swallows family car
IT WAS SUPPOSED to be a normal Sunday afternoon for one couple in England but instead they ended up with a sinking feeling (sorry).
A large 30ft deep sinkhole opened up in Phil and Liz Conran’s driveway in Buckinghamshire in southern England yesterday, swallowing their car whole.
Nobody was inside the Volkswagen Lupo when the ground beneath it gave way. The car is still at the bottom of the hole where it is covered with rubble.
Obviously we’re not geologists but this is one hole-y impressive geological feature. (Again, we’re so sorry).
Emergency services were called to the scene and spent an hour assessing the situation. “Firefighters placed a cordon around it and gave safety advice,” a spokesperson for Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority said.
The local council has said it is working to help repair the hole. In the meantime, the couple have been advised to find somewhere else to stay while further investigations are carried out.
Sinkholes in the UK (and Ireland) are very rare, with most appearing in rural locations. They are caused by underground water hollowing out the ground and causing the surface to give way.
Surveyors look at the damage caused.
Phil and Liz Conran standing outside their home in High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire.
Pics: Steve Parsons/PA Wire
Read: We thought that earlier pothole was big but then we saw this one… >
Read: Underwater sinkhole suddenly swallows a dozen trees >
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buckinghamshire giant hole gone gulp high wyombe Sinkhole sinking feeling well hole-y god