Sinkhole the size of a car appears on London street

The sinkhole nearly swallowed a nearby post box

Residents on Dunvegan Road in Eltham, Greenwich, London awoke to discover a sinkhole the size of a small car opened up overnight on September 12 (Andrew Hudson / SWNS)

A sinkhole the size of a car has appeared on a London street - nearly swallowing a post box.

Residents of Dunvegan Road in Eltham, Greenwich, woke up to find the large cavity.

The area around the hole has since been fenced off after locals initially used wheelie bins to prevent unsuspecting motorists from falling in.

Local resident Andrew Hudson posted a photo of the hole on a local Facebook group on Tuesday morning.

He said: “Next to Mayday cars cab office be aware!

“I feel sorry for anyone that has posted important letters in the post box there because they are not being collected anytime soon.”

A spokesperson for Greenwich Council said: “We were notified of a sinkhole in Dunvegan Road by the London Fire Brigade on Monday, 11 September. Our investigations are ongoing to determine the cause and develop next steps.

“Until then, the area will remain closed off and reassurance visits will be taking place with neighbouring business. The road is expected to be closed for at least a few weeks and diversions will be place.”