Water main bursts in Coventry

A sinkhole has swallowed a car in Coventry this morning, prompting local road closures.

Police have erected a cordon on Sewall Highway and Blackberry Lane, where a red car is jutting out of the road.

The trapped car has led authorities to redirect traffic, with cars told to avoid the junction.

Local bus provider Stagecoach has warned that buses will also be diverted until Severn Trent Water can resolve the issue.

Authorities expect the area will remain closed for the morning, with traffic maps showing nearby areas packed with cars.

West Midlands Police confirmed they were called to the scene at 4am this morning after the car became trapped.

Pictures show the car crammed into the asphalt bonnet-first, with debris scattered nearby.

The AA has declared an incident on the stretch of highway this morning, with several routes marked red and orange for slow traffic.

The organisation said there were traffic problems and slow traffic “both ways from Blackberry Lane to Purcell Road”.

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The detour in operation for local buses will affect the 60, which travels between Warwick University and the Arena Retail Park in Longford.

The AA has warned that most of the area is experiencing slow traffic this morning.

Sinkholes have several different causes in the UK, primarily surface dissolution, which refers to soluble rock like limestone dissolving under rainfall or groundwater.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) notes that they can also be caused by collapsing ground, a combination of dissolving and collapsing, and erosion.

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Sinkholes can grow to significant sizes and have been known to swallow homes in some countries, especially the USA, where they are more common.

But in the UK, they are usually small and manifest like they have in Coventry as shallow and narrow holes in the ground.

Sinkhole-prone areas in the UK include parts of Wales, the Mendips, the Peak District, and the northern Pennines – including the Yorkshire Dales.

The BGS adds: “The most susceptible area in the UK is the Permian gypsum in north-east England, particularly around Ripon and areas underlain by a similar geology.”

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