That sinking feeling: Car left stranded in giant pothole after burst water main causes road to collapse

By Graham Smith


Hard to swallow: A silver hatchback fell into a huge pothole on the A320 between Woking and Chertsey in Surrey this morning

Many motorists have had their tyres and wheels damaged by a pothole.

But one driver got more than she bargained for when the road gave way beneath her and swallowed up her entire car.

The incident took place this morning after a water main burst on the A320 between Woking and Chertsey in Surrey. The large pipe erupted at about 5am, flooding the busy road.

The giant hole in the road was caused by a burst water main. The car's female driver had stopped after hearing a noise when the road gave way beneath her

A female motorist driving a silver hatchback had stopped her car after hearing a loud noise coming from the road.

In a matter of seconds, the road then gave way and swallowed her car up.

Police were called to the scene shortly afterwards and the road was then closed at around 7am.

The water was turned off by 8.30am, but the road remained shut on Wednesday lunchtime because of the substantial hole in the southbound carriageway.


Pitfall: The A320 remained shut on Wednesday lunchtime because of the substantial hole in the southbound carriageway

Gordon Foat, who lives nearby saw the stricken silver Vauxhall Meriva wedged into the gap.

He said: 'There's a car which has been absorbed into the road, it just went in.

'Apparently a woman was driving along and heard a noise so she got out of her car to check it, and that's when it happened.'

The incident took place between the Six Crossroads roundabout in Woking and the McLaren Technology Centre roundabout at Martyrs Lane.

Police Inspector Roger Nield said: 'In order to get everybody straight we had to close the road which gridlocked the traffic.'

He added: 'When the water company come to repair it they will have to close the road for three or four days. The water has been turned off at the moment.'


source:dailymail