Investigation by council after sinkhole opened in Northampton road

A sinkhole on Balmoral Road in Queens Park caused disruption over the weekend after part of the road collapsed and the road was shut off by Northamptonshire police.

Northamptonshire County Council has now opened an investigation into the cause.

Shane Quentin was walking his dog when he noticed the big hole in the road.

He told the Chronicle & Echo: “I live around the corner and was walking my dog, Enzo when I noticed the big hole in the road - this was before the police even arrived.

“I walked Enzo home and came back to the hole with my camera and took a few pics. It’s possible to see that the section of road has been repaired in the past, but sadly not well enough to prevent a collapse underneath.

“It may be subsidence or water washing away foundations but, as of Monday, the hole has got even bigger and the road is still closed. It was not possible to see the bottom of the hole, it would have done serious damage to a car or cyclist.”

A spokeswoman for Northamptonshire police said: “We were called just before 9.30am, Saturday to reports of road collapsing on Balmoral Road. An officer attended the scene and the road was closed. Highways took over the incident.”

A spokeswoman for Northamptonshire County Council said: “We are aware of the incident. We are investigating the cause at the moment.”