THE misery continues for the 20 families living with a giant swallow hole in their street.

This week the Braeside Crescent cul-de-sac in Bexleyheath was closed to all traffic, as experts drilled boreholes all along the road in an effort to discover how widespread the problem is.

Two homes were cordoned off as dangerous structures after the swallow hole, a naturally occurring phenomenon, opened up underneath two homes on February 11.

Despite attempts to stabilise the ground by pouring concrete foam into the hole, this also began to subside.

Now one house is collapsing into the gaping hole and may have to be demolished.

The families living in both houses have been moved out.

The Meads who lived in the collapsing house, owned by London and Quadrant Housing Association (L&Q), will have to be permanently rehoused.

But their neighbours, the Smith family, who own their home, are hoping they will be able to move back in eventually.

Experts have been working with L&Q and Bexley Council to determine the extent of the swallow hole and where there are any other underground voids in the street.

An initial survey showed there may be further holes underneath the two homes affected by the original ground collapse.

L&Q then commissioned a detailed survey of all the houses and gardens in the street which highlighted anomalies in the ground.

Then an extended microgravity survey was done and, on the recommendation of the specialist consultants, boreholes are being sunk to determine whether any of the anomalies are underground holes.

L&Q expects the drilling to last about three weeks.

Bexley Council says the results will enable a programme of any necessary work to be drawn up, including what to do about the house which is already collapsing.

One resident, whose home was not initially affected by the collapse, said: "The road looks like a Texas oilfield.

"It is now getting scary because we can feel the work going on beneath us."