A family is returning home after a huge hole swallowed three gardens in east London.

They are the last of about 50 people to be allowed into their house after a 10-metre (32ft) deep hole opened up above the site of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL).

It was feared the row of houses in Lavender Street, Stratford, could collapse completely following the landslip which is thought to have been caused by work carried out for the tunnel rail link.

All but two households were given the all-clear to return home by Sunday evening, a CTRL spokeswoman said.

The first we knew of any problems was when the hole opened up Rail link project spokesman

One of the families was allowed back on Monday afternoon and the final householders are expected to be in their home by Tuesday night.

Temporary hotel accommodation was paid for by the CTRL.

The landslip came a day and a half after a giant boring machine excavated an eight-metre wide tunnel, 20 metres below the surface of the gardens as part of the link project.

Project managers have apologised to residents and all drilling has stopped until they investigate why the hole opened up.

They are examining a network of 19th Century wells in the area and said that although residents had reported feeling vibrations during drilling, this was not unusual.

A spokesman added: "The first we knew of any problems was when the hole opened up.

"I'm not saying our tunnelling hasn't caused the wells to collapse but the tunnel is safe."

When the hole appeared at 1730 GMT on Saturday, the boring machine was 30 metres from the site and the tunnel was still intact, he said.

The hole has been filled with concrete to stabilise the ground and to prevent any further damage.

Residents' frustration

Thomas Benjamin, whose garden was partly swallowed by the hole, said: "We feel terrible. I have a shed in the back garden and that has disappeared.

"I did not know that there were wells in the gardens, but the authorities knew. I am concerned that we have lost the value of our house.

"At the moment the house is worth nothing. I feel I have been given an explanation so far but we still have a lot of questions."

The Channel Tunnel project will link Ashford, Kent, with a new terminal at St Pancras in London.

Over 20km of tunnels are being dug under London and the Thames for the project, scheduled to open in 2007.