Drivers have been reassured a road that partially collapsed under a bin lorry revealing a four metre chasm is safe to drive on.

A bin lorry was reversing into a drive in Camden Road near Sutton town centre when a part of the pavement and road collapsed leaving a 4m deep, 2.5m wide hole at 9am on Thursday.

>> See the incredible Sutton sink hole video

Sutton Council said it is sourcing the materials needed to fix the hole and has put a fence around the affected area.

In the meantime neighbours have been told it is safe to drive on the road - although not all are convinced.

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The scene yesterday

One woman, who lives in a development right next to where the hole formed, said: "I'm worried about driving near it. It doesn't look safe but what am I supposed to do?"

Marie Smith, who walks along the road every day to get to work, said: "It's a huge hole. I wonder what would have happened if it was my car that was driving over it - it would have swallowed it right up!"

A council spokesman said the chasm under the road is known as a 'soakaway', a gulley used to allow water to run away from the area, and the cause of the collapse is being investigated.

The spokesman said: "A refuse freighter over-ran the footway and collapsed the roof of a highway soakaway exposing the unlined pit beneath.

"The crew immediately informed the council’s street cleansing team who temporarily closed the road. The road was re-opened as soon as the refuse freighter was recovered and barriers erected."