PEOPLE living in a Bexley street are waiting to find out whether the ground beneath their feet, and their homes, is as solid as it looks.

Experts fear a swallow hole which opened up underneath a home in Braeside Crescent, Bexleyheath, last month, could be far bigger than first thought.

The end-of-terrace house owned by housing association London & Quadrant (L&Q), where the hole first opened up on February 11, is now so unstable it will have to be demolished.

It and the neighbouring house are currently fenced off, with signs warning they are dangerous structures.

Not even the families have been allowed inside.

The Mead family, who lived in the end-of-terrace house, are to be rehoused permanently by L&Q in Crayford this week.

The Smiths, who own the adjoining house, were also evacuated from their home, because of the fear its neighbour would collapse before it could be knocked down.

The swallow hole has continued to grow, despite having 54 cubic metres of foam concrete poured into it.

L&Q has employed consultant geophysical company STATS to survey the area. It has carried out radar and microgravity surveys.

Bexley Council says initial reports show further voids underneath the two houses, as well as areas of weak soil in the surrounding areas.

A further microgravity survey, covering the terrace of seven homes and their gardens, was due to be carried out last week.

A L&Q spokesman said: "We expect to get the results in two weeks and it should highight any abnormalities for investigation."

Charles Smith, 58, and his family have lived in their home for more than 26 years.

He, his wife Sylvia and their son Ben, 22, are currently living in rented accommodation, while they wait to hear if the house will ever be safe again.

Mr Smith, a security guard, said it was only three months after they moved into Braeside Crescent the first swallow hole opened up under the next door house.

He said: "They filled the hole with concrete, but only up to the foundations, then topped it with hardcore.

"This time they poured the foam concrete right to the top, and as it began to subside, dragging the foundations with it."

A large hole also opened up in the garden of another house two doors away in the past, and people were evacuated.

Mr Smith said: "The council drilled some boreholes and assured everyone the voids were at least 45ft underground, so we had no qualms about staying."

He says at the moment he still remains optimistic the family will be able to move back into their home, although he concedes resolving the problems could take months.

He added: "I would need to have some sort of guarantee, but I would hate to have to move away.

"It seems the land around here is like Swiss cheese in parts."

Mr Smith is still in touch with his neighbours and says many of them are also feeling nervous about the future.

At least two of them are also thinking about moving out of the street.

Mr Smith said: "The neighbours have been marvellous, but it is the uncertainty which eats away at people."