RESIDENTS and motorists can expect at least another week of diversion and delays because of sewage main repair works on a busy rural road.

Walton's Hall Road between Stanford-le-Hope and Linford has been closed since early September after a sewage main burst.

Initially the work, which meant HGV tankers were deployed to take the sewage away, was expected to last no more than a couple of weeks. On 14 September a spokesperson for Anglian Water told Thurrock Nub News the company hoped the road would be open, 'within a few days at most'.

However, it has proved a much bigger job than expected and has seen the creation of an overground main, while a new permanent one is laid and linked up underground.

The latest statement from Anglian Water says: "Our teams have made good progress on fixing the burst rising main on Walton's Hall Road, with repairs to the damaged sections of pipe now complete.

"We are currently working to put the road back to how it was, alongside removing the temporary equipment and pipework.

The broken sewage main extracted from the site

"All being well, we hope to have all work complete and the road reopened by the end of next week. However, as with any complex engineering repair, timelines may need to be adjusted depending on progress on site and any unforeseen issues encountered during the final stages of the work.

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"We thank residents and road users for their patience while we complete this essential repair."

Though Walton's Hall Road is designated as a minor road, it links the communities of Stanford and Linford & East Tilbury and is a registered bus route (including for children attending St Clere's Secondary School).

The Walton's Hall Farm site, which includes shops, a bar, restaurant, B&B residences and static homes, can only be currently reached via Butts Lane from Stanford-le-Hope. The routed diversion is by Buckingham Hill Road.