Ripon's giant sinkhole to be assessed by geologists and structural engineers

Seven properties were yesterday evacuated in Magdalen's Road, Ripon, in the early hours of Thursday morning when the land on which their back gardens stood, dramatically collapsed.

Later in the day authorities were considering moving the remaining residents out of the terrace, as the ground continued to move.

Today Harrogate Borough Council, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and utility services are continuing their investigations into the sinkhole.

The council said there has been no major movement overnight at the site of the sinkhole and one of its structural engineers will be on site today to review whether there has been any additional issues since their inspection yesterday.

The British Geological Survey has also travelled to the historic cathedral city to assess ground conditions.

A council spokesman said: "We are currently waiting for an assessment of the ground conditions by the British Geological Survey, who will be visiting the location at lunchtime today, so that partners, including utility services, can begin essential repair work.

"Additional fencing will be erected today at the rear of the properties affected by the sinkhole to ensure the safety of the public." 

Frances O'Neill, 74, who almost fell into a sinkhole which formed in her Ripon back garden overnight

A 74-year-old woman described her lucky escape after she almost fell in the sinkhole that appeared in her back garden.

Frances O'Neill said she was woken by a "tremendous noise" and almost fell in when she went out on to her back patio to investigate.

She said: "I was just going down the steps into my garden and I put a foot down and then I realised the steps were moving, or had gone.

"I turned around and grabbed hold of a pole at the side and pulled myself back up and went quickly back into the house.

"I think luck was on my side earlier this morning."

Fire officers directed residents to the pub over the road where Mrs O'Neill said she had a stiff drink.

The Fountains Abbey worker described herself as a "fairly stoic kind of person".

The hole was mainly in the back garden of her next-door neighbour Ben Bramley, 43, a project manager with bookmakers William Hill.

He was falling asleep when his partner Adele Richardson woke him to say there had been a "commotion" in the back garden.

Ben Bramley found the sinkhole after being woken by his partner who had heard the "commotion" outside

He said: "It sounded like a land slip, there was not a real thud or a big crash."

Mr Bramley investigated and found the "absolutely enormous hole".

He said: "It took out the entire back garden, from 10ft from the back door to the garage. It has taken a big chunk of land."

Mr Bramley, father of 17-year-old Joshua, said Ripon was known to have gypsum deposits below which, when they dissolve, cause underground voids and then sinkholes.

Residents in three of the seven evacuated homes were allowed back while four occupants were advised to move out.

Fire station manager Ben Cairns said three people were put up on camp beds last night by the fire service, while others stayed with relatives or in hotels.

He said: "The sinkhole measures 15m by 15m and we anticipate it is 30ft deep."

Speaking about the effect of the hole, he said: "It could have been worse.
"If it had been any nearer the properties we would have seen structural collapse or damage, bearing in mind this is a row of terraces, who knows what the extent of that could have gone."

In 2014 a similar sized sinkhole opened up on an adjacent street, Magdalen's Close, causing a building to partially collapse, pictured above, which later had to be demolished.

After the 2014 partial house collapse, the British Geological Survey (BGS) said gypsum under the town had dissolved to form a maze-like cave system.

It said in a report that sinkholes appeared in Ripon every two or three years in the 1980s and 1990s but there had not been any reported in the seven years before the 2014 event.

The BGS said there were a number of possible triggering mechanisms, relating to action of water underground.

Cracks in the walls of Mill House at Water Skellgate taken by City of Ripon Trust

Earlier this year, community group the City of Ripon Trust issued a dire warning that lives are at risk due to the potential imminent catastrophic collapse of walls and buildings in the city.

It called on Harrogate Borough Council to seal boreholes under the city and suspend planning permission for a new development.