Residents at a Maidstone housing block have been left unable to leave their car park after a sinkhole opened in the road.

Peel Street is closed between John Street and Granville Road while engineers from South East Water carry our repairs to the main.

The issue was reported to the water firm yesterday when a number of residents at Palmerston and Ragstone House were left without water.

Luke Simmonds, who lives in Palmerston House, said: "We discovered we had no water when we got up yesterday morning. We alerted South East Water and by the time we got home engineers were digging up the road.

"Some of my neighbours have been left unable to leave the car park, as the entrance is blocked, and the rest of us have been left trying to find a space on a very narrow residential road."

A spokesman for South East Water said: "We had a call yesterday from a customer to say they had no water.

"Our technician investigated and found a burst on a four-inch diameter main. This was repaired, but while our team were here another burst happened.

"The burst caused a cavity to open up around the burst pipe.

"The bursts have both been repaired and water supplies returned to normal. However, the reinstatement is still ongoing."

Engineers remain at the site and the road is expected to remain closed for up for five days.

Motorists should use John Street, Boxley Road and Granville Road as a diversion.