Well, the BBC's Countryfile ran the story a few years ago about the Foolow hole, where the 'landowner', a genial chap, was very briefly interviewed in 'his field', and he explained in a very reassuring fashion that it was more than likely just old timber-supported 18th C levels rotting and collapsing below, and not much to worry about really.
He was very relaxed indeed about a 40m-wide and deep hole appearing unexpectedly on his land, as they generally are in Derbyshire. Except of course that these passages would all be in limestone, over 100m down and way below the shale cap - and rake fissures generally don't need timber for support, apart from a holding up few old deads.
ITV's Calendar, possibly smelling a rat, despatched their reporter David Hirst to the scene, as he intercepted me and a mate as we were leaving, asking if we would be prepared to comment on camera about the possible causes - we both had to refuse owing to a lack of hard evidence (apart from Countryfile's sterling work), and a possible conflict of interest, to say nothing of self-incrimination! After all, how could us two ordinary guys possibly know what went on down there?
We suggested he go and chat to the neighbouring landowner about the situation, because if the collapse had happened on that side of the road, it could have got considerably more interesting. I often wonder what came out of that interview, if it took place.
Anyway, without any other obvious explanation for the almost simultaneous collapse of four old mines in a very close area, if it's not rotting timbers, then it must be malevolent goblins!