A sinkhole being discovered in the middle of the carriageway has forced the council to shut a Watford road.

Langley Road, just outside the Southern Cross pub, has been placed under a 24-hour road closure after the “large void” appeared this morning (June 27).

Hertfordshire County Council has said it is working to make the road safe and work is listed as starting at 9.30am and set to continue until July 11 on traffic control website One Network.

Update: 'Extent of large void under Watford road won't be known for days'

As it is an emergency closure, the actual time for the closure to be lifted could significantly differ from the initial permit.

The subsidence is apparently mainly within the hatched area in the middle of the road but does extend into the lanes of travel.

The void has formed under the carriageway.The void has formed under the carriageway. (Image: Stephen Danzig)

The Southern Cross pub is currently inaccessible to vehicles from the front, but they can arrive from the back.

Staff were apparently told of the closure shortly before 11am and it was suggested that the closure is likely to last one to two weeks. The pavements have not been blocked.

The road closure in Langley Road.The road closure in Langley Road. (Image: Stephen Danzig) (Image: Stephen Danzig)