TRANENT must be built on a fault line, it was claimed, after another hole appeared in the town centre.

The hole, which opened up outside The Brig Inn, Bridge Street, appeared last week as workmen were looking into the cause of a large crack which appeared on a neighbouring wall.

Tranent and Elphinstone Community Council heard the hole had appeared suddenly and was the second in the town, with another on Lindores Drive.

The Lindores Drive hole which is cordoned off, is the responsibility of the Coal Authority, which said it was first reported to them on June 20.

The community council was told it was so big a scooter had fallen into it.

A Coal Authority spokesperson said investigations had found historic shallow coal workings and repairs had been complicated by “the presence of utility services running through the site”, but work was ongoing.

One community councillor claimed the appearance of a fresh hole made it “like living on a fault line”.

East Lothian Council confirmed it was working to repair the hole outside The Brig Inn. A spokesperson said: “We are repairing a localised soft spot in the sub-soil and the work is scheduled for completion this week.”