Fear as Earth opens and swallows three residential homes

New Jersey, USA: This is the huge sinkhole that opened up on a residential street, forcing three homes to be evacuated.

The 20ft (6m) crater consumed a 4x4 in South Amboy, New Jersey, about 30 miles (48km) south of New York City.

A resident told NJ.com that one of his neighbours called the cops when he noticed his son's car had gone missing.

He thought it had been stolen but when officers arrived, they found the vehicle at the bottom of the pit.

None of the nearby homes were damaged but officials evacuated nearby homes and shut off all utilities as a precaution.

Fire Chief Mike Geraltowswki said a ruptured water main is thought to have caused the sinkhole.

An engineer will inspect the crater before crews repair the road.