SINK HOLE: Mansfield dogwalker '˜swallowed by pavement'

An elderly dogwalker is said to be shocked after a sink hole opened up in beaneath him as if '˜he was eaten by the pavement' this morning.

Neighbours in Greenway, Forest Town rushed to help as they heard screaming, and found the gentlemen had fallen into a large ‘sink hole’ which opened in the pavement.

Helen, a neigbour in the street was one of those who rushed to the man’s aid.

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She said: “I heard somebody shout and I looked out the window. A man was in the hole and the pavement had just collapsed under him and his dog – he was eaten by the pavement.

“He pulled himself out of this hole and, a typical dog owner, he rescued the dog first. The dog was barking his head off.

“He didn’t notice his injuries straight away.”

She added that the ‘huge hole’ - around five feet deep and with running water seen pooling at the base, was likely caused by a leak in the water mains.

“I’m keeping an eye out to see if any more holes emerge because it could be there is a leak and water’s rising all over,” she added.

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Neighbour Paul Thompson, 59, an LGV driver said he was woken by the sound of shouting and a barking dog.

He said: “He was shouting for help.

“My son rushed out to him and this dog was barking to alert people. He was obviously walking along and it fell away under him.

“I’m sure he was quite scary for him, I’m glad he’s alright.”

Another neighbour, Glenda, said it was concerning as this isn’t the first time the ground has dramatically opened up beneath Greenway.

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She remembers when, in 1981, a huge fissure opened up across the street, caused by the subsidence from the coalmine under the village.

She told: “It could be to do with that.

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This isn't the first time the ground upened up beneath the street. A 'fissure' crack caused miery in 1981. See our gallery for more photos.This isn't the first time the ground upened up beneath the street. A 'fissure' crack caused miery in 1981. See our gallery for more photos.
This isn't the first time the ground upened up beneath the street. A 'fissure' crack caused miery in 1981. See our gallery for more photos.

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“It was a big fissue that came across the street and cut under the house. We had to move out for a year while they underpinned the house.

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“When you see something like that it’s frightening – but what can you do.”
But when glenda saw the hole she agreed it was more likely to do withwater mains.

“You can hear the running water – there’s been a burst somewhere and it’s caused the ground to wash away.”

Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service said: “Firefighters from Mansfield attended a sink hole caused by a burst underground water main. Because it was near a school the service attended to make it was safe and corden it off.”

Severn Trent were said to be working in the road this week and have been approached for comment.

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