Florida sinkhole: Search for Jeffrey Bush called off

Rescue teams in Florida have called off their efforts to recover the body of a man swallowed by a huge sinkhole under his home.

Jeffrey Bush, 36, who is presumed dead, disappeared into the sinkhole that engulfed his bedroom while he slept on Thursday night.

The house, in the suburbs of Tampa, will be destroyed, officials said.

Sinkholes are common in certain parts of Florida, although most are quite small.

"At this point it's really not possible to recover the body," Hillsborough County Administrator Mike Merrill said.

He added: "We are dealing with a very unusual sinkhole."

Experts are trying to ascertain how far the underground cavity reaches and whether more homes are at risk. Nearby houses have all been evacuated.

Early estimates put it at 20ft (6m) deep and 30ft in diameter but officials have created a 100ft-wide safety zone fearing the top of the sinkhole is growing.

Experts say much of Florida sits on a system of limestone caverns which are subject to water erosion, causing them to collapse.