RESURFACING works have been stalled over safety fears after the road surface collapsed beneath workers in Oxford.

A number of sinkholes appeared in Walton Street on July 31, and one week on work has been unable to continue at the site.

The sinkholes, including three small holes and one major, opened up while the road was closed for resurfacing works.

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A worker at the site reported small holes appearing before the larger hole opened up beneath a 32 tonne planing machine working at the site. The vehicle's wheel fell through the road surface and a crane reportedly took two hours to rescue it in the early hours of the morning.

The worker added that it looked like a tunnel or cave system that was revealed underneath.

Oxfordshire County Council has said works are currently unable to continue until the extent of the problem is investigated.

The road is currently closed at the junction with Worcester Street and the council said it has already carried out a radar investigation and is awaiting the results.

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A spokesman said the results of the survey will determine the future course of action, but could not confirm when these result would be back. He added that they were due back 'very soon'.

The latest problems with sinkholes comes less than a month after a sinkhole opened up just metres along the road in Worcester Street.

Police taped off the road where reportedly the sinkhole was 1.2metres deep and 1.4metres wide.

A county council highways maintenance worker at the time said it was not clear what caused the sinkhole but that it had been filled with aggregate.