Manchester was plagued by at least six sinkholes in 2016

Greater Manchester has been blighted by at least six road cavities in 2016.

But the worst offender was surely the Mancunian Way sinkhole. Although it formed in August 2015, it persevered well into June 2016.

The now-famous 40ft sinkhole, which opened during heavy downpours on August 14th 2015, caused headaches for both motorists and engineers for months.

To add insult to injury, in November the Japanese fixed a 100ft chasm in Fukuoka in just a week.

That included repairs to a sewage pipe, righting power cuts and gas and water supplies and replacing traffic lights and utility poles.

Meanwhile, the Mancunian Way sinkhole, caused by a collapsed water culvert, and destroying a main sewer, quickly became a tourist attraction until it was finally fixed and reopened on June 16th.

However, the Mancunian Way was not the only sinkhole to appear in Manchester.

On April 20th a 10ft deep, 2ft wide sinkhole appeared on Tib Street in the Northern Quarter.

On September 12th an old brick sewer meant one appeared in Whitefield.

Two days later, a super storm caused traffic chaos in Cheetham Hill as a crater closed Waterloo Road.

Many reported manhold covers lifted from the road by rising waters, causing the concrete to buckle and break.

On October 17th, residents on Heywood Road in Prestwich reported a hole in the middle of the road.

And on November 23rd Rochdale Road in Royton was shut in both directions after a collapsed sewer caused a sinkhole.

According to Dr Domenico Lombardi, a lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Manchester, our sinkholes are not a natural phenomenon - and in fact they are man made.

It’s all about our old mines, sewers, a growing population and building works - and increasing rainfall.

Dr Lombardi recommends timely repairs and maintenance of piping, a more sustainable drainage system - with more urban green areas.