Somerset Council is reminding motorists and pedestrians that Chinnock Hollow near Yeovil remains closed for the foreseeable future on safety grounds.

Road closure signage is back in place today (1 August) following the unauthorised overnight removal of debris and signage from the road.

Chinnock Hollow has been closed since February 2021 following a landslide that saw 20 tonnes of rock and sand fall into the road. The stability of the road is uncertain and an independent report outlined costs of up to £2.7million to make the road safe.

A spokesperson for Somerset Council said: “The debris was deliberately left on the road to deter people from trying to use an unsafe route. Now it has been moved the council will have to look at spending public money securing the site so it cannot be used. Money that could be better spent elsewhere.

“The road is closed because a report – an independent report – found it was not safe to open and public safety has to come first. This is a real risk, not a theoretical one.”

It is not possible to identify external funding for such a scheme at this point and the money is not available within current budgets.