A quick-thinking resident sprang into action to keep drivers and pedestrians safe when a huge sinkhole appeared on her road. 

Adele Aubrey, of Heywood Road in Prestwich, saw the beginnings of the sinkhole as a dip formed in the road surface, causing the underside of cars to scrape along it.

With sinkholes previously having formed on the road, she decided to place bins on it to force cars to drive around it - preventing any further risk of injury or damage. 

She phoned Bury Council to report the issue and says she was advised to create the bin barricade.

Bury Times: The bins placed by Adele Aubrey to warn trafficThe bins placed by Adele Aubrey to warn traffic (Image: Public)

When the sinkhole opened up, the bins fell into it. But when Ms Aubrey asked Bury Council for replacement bins, she was told that she would have to pay for them herself. 

However, following approach by the Bury Times, Bury Council have now said: "This resident acted immediately to help keep the public safe. Of course we will replace any damaged bins free of charge."

The incident unfolded on Monday morning, with the sinkhole having opened up by early afternoon. 

Adele said: "Bury Council didn't send anyone out for hours, even though we informed them.

"I asked should I put some bins to indicate whether people shouldn't drive over the sinkhole. They said yes. Then the bins fell in the sinkhole, and my neighbour's.

"I phoned up to ask the council for replacement bins.

Bury Times: The sinkholeThe sinkhole (Image: Newsquest)

"They said we have got to pay for them, it is council policy and I have got to pay for the bins."

She added: "It is just annoying because if they would have come out more quickly, they could have closed the road.

"But they didn't come out until the actual hole had appeared. The bins were supposed to be a temporary measure until they closed the road.

"I thought it was going to stay like that for a while, I didn't expect it to cave in." 

This comes after the sinkhole opened on Heywood Road following heavy rain on Monday morning. 

A spokesperson for United Utilities said: “Our engineers are assessing the damage to the sewer and will be putting in place a repair plan.”

The road was blocked off and diversions put in place via Heys Road and Bury Old Road and vice versa. 

Sinkholes have previously caused issues on the road, with an emergency closure put in place in August 2021.

A landslide was also seen last night (Monday, July 17), in Prestwich Clough.