A MYSTERY hole which opened up in Queen's Drive, Malvern, was reported in the Gazette 25 years ago.

The hole had been discovered in the private road - owned by Brays off Worcester Road - by a local resident, who had alerted police.

"The crumbling surface of the hole, growing larger all the time, reveals a well with brick sides and water at the bottom," said the report.

"District council divisional surveyor John Garner, who was called by the police, said: 'We don't normally deal with private roads, but because it was a question of safety, I sent someone up with cones and lamps to put around the hole'."

Mr Garner estimated the hole to be 80 and 90 feet deep and speculated that it could date back to monastic times.

"It is reasonably near the Priory to have served as its water supply in those days," he said, advising the owner of Brays to seal the well by putting a concrete slab over it.

"I wouldn't advise him to fill in the well. If the water is flowing, it might cause it to appear elsewhere as a spring," he said.

"The frost and the rain must have corroded the solid substance covering the well, causing it to fall to the bottom."

He stressed that the area around the well was extremely dangerous.

"The well is about six foot in diameter, while the entrance to the hole is much smaller. We are doing all we can to make it safe at the moment, but must nevertheless warn people, especially children, to stay away from it."