Huge sinkhole appears swallowing cars and forcing people to flee homes

Shocking pictures show three cars partially swallowed after a sinkhole opened in the middle of a residential road, leaving local drivers in tears when they found their vehicles.

Emergency services descended on the street just after 5:30 am this morning after the tarmac collapsed on Broughton Road in South Shields.

No one has been injured, but several families who live near the newly formed sinkhole have been evacuated as a ‘precautionary’ measure.

The area has been cordoned off and emergency services are in attendance.

The collapse has damaged a water main, according to Northumbrian Water, but bottled water has been delivered to a nearby care home which is experiencing ‘low pressure or no water’.

Kiera Hall, 17, was left in floods of tears when she discovered her black car, which she has only had for two weeks, was in the hole.

The A-level student said: ‘I got really lucky, there’s only a mark on the front. I was sobbing this morning. I looked into the street and saw blue lights.

‘My car was vertical in the hole and I burst into tears. I passed my driving test two days before Christmas and got my car two weeks ago and this has happened.

‘It’s just unlucky. I’m not worried about parking my car in the street again I just hope it’s alright.’

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: ‘Emergency services are currently in attendance and no one is reported to have been injured.

A Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson added: ‘We can confirm that today, an appliance is in attendance of an incident in South Tyneside.

‘A crew from South Shields Community Fire Station was dispatched to the scene following a number of emergency calls at 5.45 a.m. reporting a portion of a road collapsing on Broughton Road.

‘The incident is still ongoing, and no casualties have been reported. Our firefighters are currently still on scene supporting our blue light partners and the local authorities.’

One sinkhole which opened up in Yorkshire last month has become a ‘five-star’ attraction on Google Maps.

As a result, a section of the road has been closed for weeks, causing chaos for drivers, according to local Youtuber Wandering Turnip, who spoke to frustrated locals.

Now in an unexpected turn of events, the sinkhole has appeared on Google Maps as a tourist attraction called The Hole.

It comes with several rather amusing five-star reviews.

One visitor Matt Paling wrote: ‘This is the best Hole this side of Hebden bridge! I mean I’ve been to Tod side and the view is nothing compared to Hebden. Five stars! Fantastic, needs a Costa or other chain coffee shop.’

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