Cave Rescue Organisation members were called out to investigate

Members of the Clapham-based Cave Rescue Organisation were asked by parish councillors to investigate what they thought was a mineshaft in woods near Burton in Lonsdale.

A small group from the rescue team went to look at the opening and check to see if there were any dangerous gases emanating from the hole in Greta Wood, west of the village near Ingleton in North Yorkshire.

A team spokesperson said: “A gas detector revealed that there were no harmful vapours present and an assessment of the hole showed that it was probably a collapsed buried kiln, measuring 8m deep.

“Fencing contractors were advised of the safe distance to erect fencing to prevent access to an area liable to further collapse.”

The callout was the volunteer team’s fifth of the year.