Egremont mine collapse: Repair work beings on hole
Work has begun to fill in an 80ft (25m) deep hole which opened up two months ago destroying gardens and forcing nine families from their homes.
A collapsed mine shaft has been blamed for the hole which appeared in Howbank Road, Egremont, Cumbria, in November.
Residents were allowed home for Christmas and now Copeland Borough Council is repairing the damage.
It is spending £400,000 on filling in the hole with concrete and said work would be finished by 18 January.
The council, which owns the land, declared the area safe just before Christmas after monitoring it for weeks and allowed householders to go home.
Residents Raymond and Judith Smith praised the work of the local authority.
"I was anxious but now we are back it is great, it is safe enough now," Mr Smith said.
"The council were very good, they took responsibility straight away and said what they were going to do. I have confidence in what they are doing."