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| Massive sinkhole in St Albans street could take weeks to repair | Massive sinkhole in St Albans street could take weeks to repair |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| People living in a street in St Albans, in which a massive sinkhole has opened up, have been told it could take weeks to repair the road. | People living in a street in St Albans, in which a massive sinkhole has opened up, have been told it could take weeks to repair the road. |
| The 66ft (20m) diameter hole spread across a front garden and driveway on Fontmell Close and is 33ft (10m) deep. | The 66ft (20m) diameter hole spread across a front garden and driveway on Fontmell Close and is 33ft (10m) deep. |
| Experts at the British Geological Survey said it was most likely to have been caused by the collapse of a previously unrecorded mine. | Experts at the British Geological Survey said it was most likely to have been caused by the collapse of a previously unrecorded mine. |
| More than 50 homes were left without power after the hole appeared. | More than 50 homes were left without power after the hole appeared. |
| Hertfordshire County Council said five homes were evacuated in the early hours of Thursday morning and 20 people were taken to a centre set up at the nearby Batchwood Sports Centre. | Hertfordshire County Council said five homes were evacuated in the early hours of Thursday morning and 20 people were taken to a centre set up at the nearby Batchwood Sports Centre. |
| Residents are said to have heard a crash before the huge crater appeared. | Residents are said to have heard a crash before the huge crater appeared. |
| A spokesman for the fire service said it was previously aware of a small hole that was due to be filled in. | A spokesman for the fire service said it was previously aware of a small hole that was due to be filled in. |
| Firefighters received a call at 01:30 BST on Thursday to say the hole had "opened up substantially" overnight. | |
| A Hertfordshire County Council spokesman said: "We were informed about a hole in the footpath last week. It was inspected and barriers put around it on Monday. | A Hertfordshire County Council spokesman said: "We were informed about a hole in the footpath last week. It was inspected and barriers put around it on Monday. |
| "Work was scheduled to fill it in. Following our inspection, there was no reason to suspect that the hole would collapse." | |
| Heavily-pregnant Gemma Bagshaw, 32, is expecting to give birth any day now and said she was woken by the sound of the hole opening up. | Heavily-pregnant Gemma Bagshaw, 32, is expecting to give birth any day now and said she was woken by the sound of the hole opening up. |
| She and her husband Ben left their house clutching her medical notes and a bag packed in readiness for a trip to hospital. | |
| "We were asleep when we were awoken by this awful rumbling sound like an earthquake," she said. | "We were asleep when we were awoken by this awful rumbling sound like an earthquake," she said. |
| "Ben jumped out of bed and got to the window, then I heard him say 'The road has gone'. | "Ben jumped out of bed and got to the window, then I heard him say 'The road has gone'. |
| "If this doesn't bring on my labour then nothing will." | "If this doesn't bring on my labour then nothing will." |