The sudden appearance of a sinkhole just 300 metres from multiple schools has been labelled "a disaster waiting to happen".

The large basin can be seen in New House Lane, Northfleet, near Gravesend.

Images show it has opened up on the road's grass verge and is up to 3m wide and a number of metres deep.

It is believed to have first appeared yesterday, however heavy rain overnight has led to it increasing in size.

The hole is also less than a quarter of a mile away from Saint George's Church of England primary and secondary schools, as well as both Shears Green institutions and Bright Futures Children's Centre.

Paul Watts’ sister lives opposite the hole in Snelling Avenue.

He said: "It's got bigger as time has gone on having opened up yesterday.

"It started off about the size of a black sack, but yesterday's heavy rain has just made it really big.

"It's right outside my sister's house and she called Kent Highways who have come down at about 7am today to look at it.

"She heard them saying it's right underneath the road, but nothing has been closed off.

"If it is near the flats behind, then a disaster could be waiting to happen there.

"My son would normally walk past the hole on his way to school, but I told him to go a different way this morning.

"My sister is obviously worried too living opposite it, but so would anyone if it opened up outside their house."

The road has since been closed between Harden Road and Dashwood Road while work is carried out by Southern Water to fix the hole.

A spokesman for the company said: “There has been a leak on a water main in New House Lane.

“Our teams are on site and carrying out a repair and are working as quickly as they can to complete the work as soon as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

It comes less than two months after a sinkhole emerged in Maidstone.

Part of the road and pavement collapsed near where Gatland Lane meets Farleigh Lane in Barming.