Sinkhole road remains closed for at least 10 days

A busy Manchester road which partly collapsed when a sinkhole appeared is to remain closed for at least 10 days.

United Utilities has been working at the Mancunian Way site over the weekend to assess the collapse.

A repair plan is "now in place" to stabilise the hole and make it watertight so engineers can repair the damage.

The road will remain closed in both directions while work takes place.

A spokesman for Manchester City Council said: "This initial phase of work could take up to 10 days, but until we are completely satisfied that the area is safe the section of the Mancunian Way will remain closed in both directions."

A diversion remains in place via London Road, Fairfield Street, A665, Hyde Road and Downing Street.

At the weekend, members of the public were warned not to cross a safety cordon as engineering work was being "hindered".

About two weeks' worth of rain fell in about six hours in Manchester on Friday before the hole appeared.

Tony Griffiths, of United Utilities, told the BBC: "An awful lot of rain fell on Friday - a few days' worth - which washed the ground material beneath the carriageway, causing the highway culvert to fail. Debris washed into the sewer, causing a domino effect leading to the collapse."

Mr Griffiths said the hole is still "quite unstable" and needs to be filled in before work can be carried out.