Family’s car swallowed by 30ft sink hole

Firefighters were called out to the village of Walter’s Ash, near High Wycombe, at about 8.30am yesterday but were only able to put a cordon around it and offer safety advice.

A brigade spokesman said the matter was passed to Wycombe District Council’s Building Control.

Watch manager Stuart Grosse said: “A hole has opened up outside of the property in the driveway where the family leave their car.

“They parked it there last night and woke up to find it covered in mud at the bottom of this hole.

“We get few calls of this nature, mainly in the south of the county. Historically, holes have appeared in the area due to clay mining.

“A cordon is in place around the house and the matter has now been passed into the hands of Wycombe District Council’s Building Control”.