Giant sinkhole opens up in Fife field above old mining works

INCIDENT: Chasm 60ft deep appeared on farmer’s regular tractor route

A giant sinkhole opened up in a Fife field after old underground mineworkings caved in.

The chasm, estimated to be around 60ft deep, appeared at Ballingry Farm last week, narrowly missing a gas pipe.

Another smaller crater appeared nearby.

Andrew Stevenson, who works on the farm owned by his father Willie, said he had previously driven heavy farm vehicles over the now cordoned off area and would be taking precautions in future.

“I don’t know if one might open up if there’s another downpour,” said Andrew, 28.

“To be safe I’m going to stay away from there with any pickups or tractors.”

Sinkholes appear when the ground subsides into cavities below the surface, which can happen where there is a mine shaft or where water has dissolved or washed material away over time.

Fife’s coal mining past means the ground is riddled with old mine workings, increasing the risk. In 2017, the ground gave way, creating a deep pit in a back garden in Ballingry.

And in 2018, one opened up in Gordon Street in Lochgelly.

The latest voids were fenced off by the Coal Authority, and at the weekend, 80 tonnes of material was brought in 11 truckloads to Ballingry Farm to fill them.

Michael Owens, principal project manager for the Coal Authority, said: “Our team responded quickly and carried out an initial assessment of the site. This identified two separate features – an old mine shaft and a possible ground collapse caused by historical coal mining, which we are still investigating.

“We are making both features safe and secure by filling them with stone, while a further long-term treatment is considered.

“We are continuing to work closely with the landowner and the Scottish Gas Network because of a live gas pipe running in close proximity to one of the features. Thankfully, we can confirm that the gas pipe is still intact and has not been damaged by this incident.”

Willie Stevenson, 68, has lived on the farm his whole life and remembers a sinkhole appearing near the location of the latest pits when he was a young boy.

He believes recent downpours triggered the subsidence.

He said: “There are two holes. One is a wee hole and one, which is about 10 to 15 yards away from it, is about 60ft deep. At the bottom it’s about six feet across.

“There must be some hole further down to take all that soil. You can see the coal where it dropped, pretty near the surface.

“The worst of it is, it’s only about five metres away from the gas pipe, so I think the gas board are pretty concerned.

“I’ll not be going in that field at that particular bit with my slurry tanker, that’s for sure.”

“It’s only about five metres away from the gas pipe

Picture: Steve Brown. Farmer Andy Stevenson in the field where a sinkhole appeared and took 80 tonnes of material to fill.