Kent Highways and South East Water are investigating the cause of a sinkhole which left residents without water for several hours.

People living in Broomshaw Road in Barming woke up on the morning of Sunday, April 1 to discover the void which appeared on the edge of a nearby field, causing deep cracks in the road and bringing down a fence.

The utility firm's head of networks, Jim MacIntyre, said: “We are currently working with Kent Highways which is leading on establishing the cause of the problem and any water main repair work will be carried out once that investigation is completed.”

“Water supplies have been temporarily restored and the area secured.

Those living nearby have said that this is not the first time they have seen sinkholes. A resident who did not want to be named recalled how one had almost swallowed up a tree in her back garden and nearly flooded her house several years ago.

On the day, authorities had closed off the road following the discovery.

The area where the sink hole was found, on the edge of a field that sits between the road and Gallagher's quarry, is earmarked for 180 new homes to be built by developer Taylor Wimpey.

Building work has not yet begun but the company is said to have offered residents up to 150% of the value of their homes so they could be demolished to make way for an access road.