Peak District: Project to fill Foolow sinkhole is well underway

The hole appeared on land, which is part of the Nether Slates Mine, just before Christmas last year, however the land owners say it is now over half filled.

A project to re-fill the hole was started by landowners, British Fluorospar a few weeks ago, and it is thought to be costing around £250,000.

Gary Goodyear, general manager at the firm, said they are following a filling-in schedule agreed with the Highways Agency and the Peak District National Park.

He added: “It’s being filled in, we are following an agreed schedule that we made with the Highways Agency and Peak Park.

“We are using material from the mining operation down there and are filling the hole with stone and rock.

“We intend to bring it in line with the original contours of the hillside.”

Caver Mark Noble, from Eyam, who saw the sinkhole when it first appeared, said t the company are spreading the work out to reduce the amount of lorries going through Foolow, as this could upset residents.