Hole in housing estate finally sorted after five-year battle

Valerie Humphries, 74, contacted the Evening News' We'll Sort It campaign back in November in a bid to get the crater outside her garage in Sunny Hill, Lakenham repaired.

Mrs Humphries lives a road away in Suncroft with her husband Chris, 80.

The pair believe the hole - which appeared in 2017 - appeared following a water leak.

A very happy Val Humphries as work is being carried to repair the sink hole by her garage, and to sort the drainage at Sunny Hill and Suncroft (Image: Archant 2022)

The couple filed numerous complaints to Norwich City Council to get the issue resolved - including three separate times over the summer after fencing was put up around the hole.

Following intervention from the Evening News, Mrs Humphries was promised that works to fix the gaping hole would be done before Christmas 2021, only to let down in the new year.

Frustrated to "still be at a stalemate" all these years later, she spoke of her relief that action was finally being taken to get the job done.

"It's getting there now, isn't it?" Mrs Humphries exclaimed, after workmen swarmed on the site this week.

Drainage issues were to blame for the hole, which has caused disruption outside garages in Sunny Hill in Lakenham since 2017 (Image: Valerie Humphries)

"This has been going on for the best part of five years, would you believe it?

"I've never seen so many vans.

"Apparently the pipes are all bust under the ground, so they had to bring people in.

"I've waited a lifetime for people to get this sorted and they've all come at once."

The work is due to be finished before the end of the week.

Valerie Humphries, 74, said that the hole outside her garage in Sunny Hill has been causing havoc for the best part of five years (Image: Valerie Humphries)

She added: "There's been a lot of hammering as they've had to take a load of tarmac up.

"Vans and lorries are littering this little road," she said, noting that some workmen had come form as far as Liverpool, Kent and Cambridge to rectify the problem.

Norwich City Council is responsible for fixing the hole as it is on cobbled section in front of the driveways rather than on a public highway.

Valerie Humphries, from Lakenham, by the hole that has been blocking the garages since 2017. (Image: Archant 2021)

Have you got a problem which needs sorting? Email eleanor.pringle@archant.co.uk.