A massive collapse of a busy Maida Vale road, caused by a water leak, will see a section of the road closed for two to three weeks.

Repair work will be difficult as the main is close to a large electric cable.

Traffic will be diverted down Warwick Avenue and Formosa Street, while repair work is carried out to divert the main around the electric cable.

A spokesperson for Thames Water said: “We had a burst on a 21” main on Sutherland Avenue earlier in September. We fixed the broken pipe but did not complete the resurfacing of the road.

“We agreed with the local authority to come back later and finish the job. We’re sorry for the inconvenience this is causing road users.”