Severn Trent reveal the sinkole that appeared on London Road, Newark, was the result of a collapsed sewer

Traffic lights marshalling vehicles around a sinkhole that appeared in a major road in and out of Newark should be lifted by the end of the week and the problem fixed.

Severn Trent have revealed the 3ft diameter hole that appeared on the evening of Wednesday of last week on London Road near its junction with Harcourt Street was the result of a collapsed sewer pipe.

The utilities company said it was still on-site working to fix the issue.

Traffic lights remain in place to ensure the safe passage of vehicles around the sinkhole and cause delays, particularly at peak times.

A Severn Trent spokesman said: “We’re really sorry for any disruption caused by our teams working on London Road.

"After investigating a sinkhole, our teams confirmed a collapsed sewer pipe, so we’re currently on site carrying out emergency repairs.

"Again, we’re sorry for the inconvenience, but it will be our absolute priority to get the pipe fixed and the road back to normal as quickly as possible.”

The company said the pipe was not part of the Newark sewer replacement scheme it carried out.

A gas escape from the hole was fixed on the night it happened but was not serious enough to warrant nearby homes to be evacuated.