Village drama as sewer collapses

Diversions have been put in place while the road is repaired

A week of traffic chaos is expected after a collapsed sewer created a huge hole in the middle of a village road.

The surface of the A30 at Hartley Wintney, Hampshire, began to sink at about 2000 BST on Saturday.

Thames Water sent engineers to pump out the sewage, but by Sunday the hole had expanded to about 3m (10ft) in diameter and 2m deep (6.5ft).

A spokeswoman for the water company said the road was likely to be closed until this weekend.

The safety of highway users must be paramount David Simpson County councillor for Hartley Wintney

A Thames Water spokeswoman said: "Our engineers have been working round the clock since Saturday and we are hoping to have the road opened by the weekend."

The local amenities have not been affected, she added, because special pumps have been put in place to divert waste around the damaged pipes.

The road was closed on Saturday and diversions have been put in place.

Cllr David Simpson, county councillor for Hartley Wintney, said: "As an 'abnormal load' route and a diversion route for the M3 we need to have the A30 reopened as soon as possible.

"Everyone is working to reopen the road as soon as possible but the safety of highway users must be paramount."