VISITORS to Felixstowe seafront faced diversions today after its main link between town and beach was closed after a mysterious five feet deep hole suddenly appeared in the road.

Richard Cornwell

VISITORS to Felixstowe seafront faced diversions today after its main link between town and beach was closed after a mysterious five feet deep hole suddenly appeared in the road.

Busy Bent Hill got a taste of pedestrianisation after what is believed to be either the collapse of an underground sewer or a leak in a water main caused the road surface to break open.

If so, it could mean the road is closed for some time as the whole street will have to be dug up - which could have big repercussions for traders.

It is the third time such an incident has happened in the town in the past two years.

The steep and winding hill - which is earmarked for a shared pedestrian and vehicle scheme to try to cut traffic using it - links the shopping area of Hamilton Road with the seafront and is the main thoroughfare for people en route to the sea and shore.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk police said they received a report of a hole in the middle of the road around 12.25pm yesterday.

She said it is believed the hole - which measures two foot wide and five foot deep - was caused by a collapsed sewer.

Diversions have been set up with traffic being sent via Wolsey Gardens and Convalescent Hill.

A worker on the project to refurbish the old Nuts and Honey café said: “I literally put my foot in the hole when I came to work - the surface just dipped and crumbled away.

“Looking into the hole, it looks like water has been gradually rubbing away the material under the road. It has certainly been causing a lot of interest and lots of people have been coming to have a look.”

Anglian Water engineers are looking into it and will return today for further investigations.

St Andrew's Road and Gainsborough Road were both closed for a fortnight after holes suddenly appeared in their surfaces.

In both cases, a water pipe had sprung a leak and then over time the water had gradually washed away the soil around it until the road caved in.

- Roads in part of Walton at Felixstowe were closed for most of yesterday morning after a spillage of cooking oil.

Police and firefighters sealed off the junction of High Road West and Seaton Road after the oil leaked from a delivery lorry.

Back Road and Chester Road were also closed and diversions set up to take people away from the junction.

Highways workers were called to the scene to clean the road.

- Are you concerned by the road closures? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or email eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk