Sinkhole closes road in Smethwick
A sinkhole has opened up in the middle of a Smethwick highway, forcing officers to close-off the road.
Workers from Severn Trent Water have taped off the one-foot squared hole in the centre of Messenger Road after it appeared this morning.
The road has also been closed from its junction with Oakfield Road and Thomas Street and diversions are in place.
Workmen were at the scene when this article was published. They are checking if a drain underneath the road surface has collapsed.
If it is discovered the drain is still in place, the matter will be passed onto the council to carry out repairs.
Victoria Brown, a spokesman for Severn Trent Water, said the hole appeared in the road yesterday.
She said: "The highways authority closed part of Messenger Road in Smethwick for safety, after a hole appeared in the road yesterday.
"They then contacted us to investigate whether or not it was a sewer collapse which had caused the hole.
"We are currently carrying out an emergency inspection, using cctv, to find out whether or not the sewer has collapsed. We're sorry if this has caused any disruption to the local community."
