JohnCenaFan28
12-23-2008, 12:58 AM
A mine-shaft as deep as Nelson's Column has opened in the garden of a West Yorkshire cottage.
Mark and Susan Gilbert watched in horror as the hole appeared just steps away from their back door.
The couple heard a "loud creaking" moments before their patio collapsed into the pitch-black chasm, reports the Daily Telegraph.
When the smoke finally cleared, they were left with a giant hole measuring 15ft across - and 165ft deep.
Experts say the disused shaft would have been used by teams of miners up until the late 19th century to bring coal to the surface.
Mr Gilbert, 54, said: "The whole patio literally disappeared and fell into a vast crater. The ground in that area just fell away to expose a massive mine shaft 50 metres deep.
"It was a scary sight and although no one was injured, we were both shaking for hours afterwards."
The couple bought the three-bedroom end-of-terrace cottage nine years ago but had no idea its grounds contained the openings of a mine.
The Coal Authority (CA) believes the shaft was part of the Quarry Pit Mine network, which was last worked in 1836.
-Nova
Mark and Susan Gilbert watched in horror as the hole appeared just steps away from their back door.
The couple heard a "loud creaking" moments before their patio collapsed into the pitch-black chasm, reports the Daily Telegraph.
When the smoke finally cleared, they were left with a giant hole measuring 15ft across - and 165ft deep.
Experts say the disused shaft would have been used by teams of miners up until the late 19th century to bring coal to the surface.
Mr Gilbert, 54, said: "The whole patio literally disappeared and fell into a vast crater. The ground in that area just fell away to expose a massive mine shaft 50 metres deep.
"It was a scary sight and although no one was injured, we were both shaking for hours afterwards."
The couple bought the three-bedroom end-of-terrace cottage nine years ago but had no idea its grounds contained the openings of a mine.
The Coal Authority (CA) believes the shaft was part of the Quarry Pit Mine network, which was last worked in 1836.
-Nova