200 feet hole appears in Cornish car park

Part of a housing estate in St Ives has been sealed off after a mineshaft opened up. A mining expert says the area is riddled with mine workings dating back to the nineteenth century.

The hole is now surrounded by emergency fencing. It opened up in a residential car park in the Garth-an-Creet part of the town on Saturday 28 April. It's believed the shaft is 200 feet deep but it is blocked by debris at a depth of 30 feet.

Tom Spencer lives in the house nearest to the exposed shaft. He had noticed a dip in the tarmac three days earlier but then it developed into something more serious.

He describes how he poked the hole with a broom minutes before it caved in.

Tom Spencer bought the house two years ago but says the car park wasn't built on because of known mineshafts in the area. ITV News asked him if he was worried that it might affect his property.

A mining expert says there is a possibility similar holes could open up nearby.

Surveys will be carried out to decide the best method of filling in the shaft and making it safe.