A road "blew apart" when a water main burst leaving a seven-foot deep hole and causing traffic chaos.

The hole appeared on Thursday morning in Langley Vale Road, Epsom.

Just days before, another water main burst under a bridge at nearby Epsom Downs Racecourse.

Surrey County Council said work to repair the road is due to be completed on Wednesday.

Talking about the immediate aftermath of the burst water main, Jenny Close, who works at the Rubbing House pub in Langley Vale Road, said: "There’s a big hole in the middle of the road.

"It’s seven foot deep and right across the road. It’s a big sink hole.

"You can’t go down the road."

Dee Wilson, who lives nearby, said: "The water main has burst and lifted all the road surface off.

"It happened early Thursday morning "The road practically blew apart when the pipe went.

"The traffic has had a knock-on effect right through Epsom out towards Langley Vale with queues as far back from Dorking Road traffic lights up to the RAC Woodcote."

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She added: "It’s been an area to avoid for quite some time. Another water main burst under the bridge at the racecourse a few days earlier.

"They ought to get their act together over these burst water mains.

"There have been three in less than three months."

A spokeswoman for Thames Water said: "After fixing one leak last week we had reports of another one which is due to be fixed in the next couple of days.

"We’ll do all we can to have things back to normal as quickly as we can.

"Noone’s water supply is affected by the leak."

A spokesman for Surrey County Council said: "Thames Water are currently fixing a burst water main along Langley Vale Road.

"The works began around midday on 4 July and are expected to be completed on 8 July with these works arranged to keep disruption to residents to a minimum."

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Ms Wilson said on Monday that the barriers preventing people from driving down Langley Vale Road have been removed and people are driving over the damaged road - even though work to fix the sink hole is not yet complete as tarmac has not been placed on top.

She said: "There is still a drop of four to five inches.

"I cannot believe some people that get lazy with their travel and they are inconsiderate to all the hard work road crews put into repairs."

Exactly a year ago, Thames Water was in Langley Vale Road repairing a leak on a 12-inch water pipe.