Landslide at roadside

Excess water running off the road which has recently been resurfaced caused several sections of grass verge at the roadside to give way.

The subsidence was spotted two weeks ago during a spell of heavy rain, but little could be done to prevent the land from slipping.

Cones were put along the side of the road to alert motorists to the hazard, but they too disappeared into the drainage ditches along with the subsiding land.

Telegraph poles carrying phone cables have also been moved during the miniature landslides.

Local Councillor George Savage was quick to contact the Roads Service about the problem and has been promised it will be fixed as a matter of urgency.

Mr Savage said: “If two lorries were to meet on this road and one went over the edge it would be topple over and be straight down into the field.

“This is a busy road and it needs to be fixed right away before it causes a serious accident.

“I’ve spoken to Roads Service and they’ve told me they’re dealing with it immediately.

“They’ll be putting in large boulders to build the level of the land up, then using concrete to hold the verge in place.”

He added: “It never has been a problem before so it may be something to do with the new road surface and the flow of water off the road and into the drainage ditches. People don’t understand the power of water.

“This is what it can do,” said Mr Savage, looking down at the decimated roadside on the Dromore Road.