Giant Sinkhole In Sheffield 'Was Caused By Old Coal Mine Hidden Underneath'

A sinkhole that stopped traffic in Sheffield may have been caused by an old coal mine hidden underneath.

The hole, which was more than 20ft deep, appeared on Hutcliffe Wood Road, which links the city suburbs of Woodseats and Millhouses.

Motorists faced delays and diversions after the road into the city centre was closed.

Contractors were later called in to start filling in the hole with concrete.

Pensioner Phil Lovell, 87, said he was sure the hole was caused by the collapse of one of the old drift mines that were driven into the steep wooded hillside.

He said he played as a child in a mine further up the slope but he thought another ran right under where the hole appeared.

“As soon as I saw it on TV I knew what it was,” Mr Lovell said.

“I’m 87 so I’ve lived round here a long time.

“I used to live down the road and there were two drift mines.

“We used to come on our bikes and we used to go down the one opposite here.”

He said the drifts were dug to mine ganister, a stone used to line furnaces in the steel industry. Old ganister mines are found in many areas of Sheffield.

He said local legend claimed the mines went right under the Woodseats area of the city.

(Pictures: PA)