Ancient mine discovered on £86m UK highway as drone snaps present entrance to darkish abyss
Drone snaps have uncovered a massive hole in the middle of a new £86m road project, revealing an entrance to an ancient tin mine. The gaping crack, about 10m (32ft) in length, emerged on land prepped for the St Austell to A30 link road in Cornwall, leaving locals gobsmacked.
The chasm, thought to be around 3m (10ft) deep, appears to be a sloping gateway to an ‘unmapped’ old tin mine, with a dark abyss at one end hinting at a deep shaft plunging into the earth.
The 3.9-mile stretch, set to become a key route in the county, has cash pumped into it from both local coffers and government funds.
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Cornwall Council, however, isn’t sweating over the unexpected find, insisting that the road’s grand opening won’t hit any snags.
Their spokesperson said: “Given Cornwall’s rich mining history, it is not unusual for unmapped mining features to be discovered during the construction process.”
“We have recently uncovered two features along the route and investigation works are underway to determine the best course of remediation.”
“We do not anticipate any delays or additional costs as a consequence of this event and the road is still anticipated to be fully opened in Spring 2025.”
The demand for the new link road has been echoing since 2014, with locals pushing hard for its completion.
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Steve Double, the ousted former MP for St Austell and Newquay, had previously declared in 2022 that the then-delayed road would be “vital” for the community.
He enthused: “Local businesses and residents have wished for a better connection to the A30 for many years.”
“Previous schemes had been cancelled and there had been little prospect of this road ever being built.”
“I am delighted the road has now secured the final go-ahead from government and this funding represents the biggest single investment by any government in mid-Cornwall.”
“It has been frustrating that the construction of this road has fallen two years behind the original plans, mainly due to the pandemic, but we have finally got there.”
“This scheme will not only benefit St Austell and the surrounding area, relieving pressure on Roche, Bugle and Stenalees, but also provide huge economic.”
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