Urgent safety work carried out after sinkhole appears in Northumberland woodland

It was found by a dog walker in Debdon Wood, near Rothbury, on Sunday.

Mark Sweetman and his daughter were following a little track off the main bridleway when he spotted the cylindrical hole.

He estimated the hole, which is about one metre wide, to be around 20m deep.

"I just thought how dangerous it was and that a dog could easily just go down there, or even a child," he told the BBC.

The sinkhole was reported to Forestry England, and working with the Coal Authority, it sent a team to make the site safe.

Kevin May, forest management director for Forestry England’s north district, said: “We’re grateful to Mr Sweeting for bringing this to our attention and pleased to hear that our onsite team’s swift work alongside the Coal Authority to make the area safe for visitors to the area has been well received.”

A Coal Authority spokesperson said: "We were made aware of a ground collapse in a remote part of Debdon Woods in Northumberland on Monday (April 15).

“We are working closely with our partners to carry out thorough investigations to determine what has happened. A temporary fence has been erected to keep the area safe.

“If this incident was caused by historical coal mine workings, we will design a permanent solution and carry out repair works as soon as we can.

“To report a coal mine hazard, please call us on 0800 288 4242, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."