Sinkhole HELL! A monstrous 25ft chasm rips apart a home

Three homes were evacuated amid fears of collapse and officers cordoned off the area in Ripon.

The sinkhole is the latest in a barrage of giant chasms and is the sixth this month to have appeared across the country.

Others have arisen in Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Kent.

Experts have warned the number of these giant chasms could increase by tenfold as the ground soaks up yet more water.

And even as the ground dries with the weather returning to normal, the threat of sinkholes doubles as the underlying rock tightens.

The sinkhole in Ripon however is the first to rip open a home.

Homeowner, Peter Cunningham, who lives with his wife Susan said: "It's been like a nightmare, We're not going to be able to go back into it. It's gone, I'm sure."

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said officers were called to reports that a house was in danger of collapse at 5.40pm.

He said: "The affected property and two houses nearby have been evacuated and a cordon has been put in place to protect members of the public.

"At this stage no injuries have been reported.

"Officers are carrying out house to house checks in the area to warn local people close to the affected properties.

"The incident is in the early stages but it is believed that the property has been affected by a sink hole.

"North Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Yorkshire Ambulance Service remain at the scene with utility services' engineers and structural engineers who are assisting with the incident."

Yesterday in Hemel Hempstead, a 20ft deep and 35ft wide hole caused chaos for 17 families as it appeared in a garden.

Last week, a huge void appeared on the M2 causing hell for motorists.

Dr Tony Cooper, of the British Geological Society said: "I expect if heavy rain continues to fall we will get more sinkholes. It is quite likely that as things go back to normal we will get another spate of sinkholes.  Express