BBC documentary explores sinkhole threat in North Yorkshire

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 14 Nov, 06:19 · Archive

A BBC Two documentary examines why sinkholes collapse, featuring Ripon in North Yorkshire where gypsum beneath the town creates underground caves.

BBC Two's Why Sinkholes Collapse airs on Thursday, 26 November at 9pm, investigating why the ground suddenly collapses beneath towns and cities. The documentary explores natural and human causes of sinkholes, including geological processes, ageing infrastructure, burst water mains and excessive groundwater extraction.

Ripon, North Yorkshire features in the programme because gypsum beneath the town dissolves to form underground caves. When the roofs of these caves collapse, damage can work its way to the surface, creating sinkholes. The town has a history of dramatic ground collapses that have caused long-term concern.

The documentary also examines recent incidents elsewhere. In Godstone, Surrey, a sinkhole opened on the High Street in February 2025 after engineers discovered unmapped Victorian sand mines beneath the road. David White, a highways engineer at Surrey County Council, appears in the programme to explain how the tunnels were stabilised using grout. In Bangkok, a 30-metre-wide, 20-metre-deep sinkhole opened outside Vajira Hospital on 24 September 2025, forcing the evacuation of nearly 1,000 people. In Japan, a sinkhole in Yashio City in January 2025 claimed the life of a 74-year-old lorry driver when a corroded sewer pipe caused the road to collapse.

How it is being reported

• Why this North Yorkshire city's sinkhole threat is featuring in new BBC documentaryBBC Two's Why Sinkholes Collapse visits Ripon, North Yorkshire, on November 26, exploring sinkhole science, ageing infrastructure and global ground collapses.Darlington & Stockton Times · 14 Nov, 05:00
• Why this North Yorkshire city's sinkhole threat is featuring in new BBC documentaryBBC Two's Why Sinkholes Collapse visits Ripon, North Yorkshire, on November 26, exploring sinkhole science, ageing infrastructure and global ground collapses.The Northern Echo · 14 Nov, 05:00

In this story: Ripon · North Yorkshire · BBC · Godstone · Surrey · Bangkok · Yashio City · Japan

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