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A lorry driver got that sinking feeling in China when his truck sunk up to its axles in melting tarmac during a 40 degree heatwave.

Driver Fen Lu told police in Wuhan, Hubei province: "I had stopped for a few minutes and I noticed the truck seemed to be getting lower. Then the road disappeared beneath me."

Local highways officials say the road has recently been repaired and blamed contractors cutting corners.

"It's quite clear from examining the hole that the tarmac, which is cheap, is too deep while the foundations and underpinning, which are expensive, are too shallow," said a spokesman.