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These dramatic pictures show an enormous hole that has appeared in the garden of a Devon man's home.

The crater, in the garden of Firefighter Wal Pollitt, measures around 12 feet long by four feet wide and is nearly three feet deep - and is getting bigger.

Mr Pollitt, of Barnfield Road in Paignton, says he is concerned the huge bank below his house could collapse onto Marldon Road and has urged Torbay Council to take action.

Explaining how the situation arose, Mr Pollitt said: "My house borders a steep bank which runs around 30 feet above Marldon Road.

"Around five years ago there were some large ash trees on the bank which were causing slippage and I contacted Torbay Council to say they were unsafe.

"They sent someone out who told me the trees were stable and that they wouldn't be cutting them down. But after I contacted the Local Government Ombudsman to investigate, they asked the council to remove four of the trees.

"I had hoped that was the end of the matter."

However, just before Christmas a 50 foot tree on the bank came down in storms, blocking Marldon Road below.

Wal said: "The council came out and cut the tree up and took all the bits away. But where it fell, the roots underneath were left in situ and clearly had some effect on my garden.

"The ground began to crack next to the fence and gradually got worse and worse.

"I've called and emailed the council countless times to get someone out to look at it, but no one has been.

"The hole in my garden is now massive. The fence that runs over it was put in using large concrete footings and if they fall onto the road below someone could be killed."

Wal says he believes the responsibility for the large hole is entirely with the council and is frustrated that they will not come and help him.

He said: "It is their fault entirely but they won't even approach my property. I'm losing my lawn on a daily basis and it's a real safety issue too."

A Torbay Council spokesperson said: “We have corresponded with the resident and are working to resolve the issue, however we are currently awaiting the results of some tests which will help inform any future action.

“However, it should be noted this situation is prevalent in many places this year, given the extremely wet winter that we have experienced, and we are seeing problems with trees on embankments falling in high winds whilst the subsoil is so saturated.”