BRICKFIELDS Road will remain closed until at least tomorrow after a sinkhole appeared in the road last night.

The road is closed under the railway bridge near the junction with Astwood Road after the hole, which is approximately two foot wide, opened up.

Commuters faced traffic chaos along Astwood Road and Bilford Road as they were diverted away.

The sinkhole is thought to be connected to Severn Trent Water pipes underneath the road and staff from the organisation are currently undertaking investigations using CCTV.

James and Lisa Hadley were walking past this morning.

Mr Hadley said: "It's more like a pothole. It's not like one of those Japanese ones that swallow people up."

However, Jon Fraser, head of Highways at Worcestershire County Council, said the sinkhole could be considerably larger or longer under the road.

He said: "Severn Trent are trying to determine the extent of it.

"Once it has been exposed we will try to get it fixed.

"It's not likely to be today.

The road closures are likely to stay in place until tomorrow."

Mr Fraser said: "There is no way we could leave the road open.

"It's in the middle of the road and if a bus went over it it could open up.

"We have shut the road for safety reasons."

Mr Fraser said a sinkhole was usually caused by water leaching under the road and could be very serious.

He said it was not the same as a pothole.

Barriers were put up around the hole at around 12.30am last night and Severn Trent Water attended at 3.30am.

Diversions are in place along Astwood Road.

However drivers from Blackpole Road were forced to u-turn when they could not turn right.

Mrs Hadley said: "We've walked down from Blackpole retail park and there isn't a single sign.

"It's going to be chaos."