Further delays over reopening of Saxby Road

A ruptured water main led to Saxby Road being closed early on Saturday morning, causing long tailbacks in the town ever since.

Severn Trent said it had now repaired the pipe but there would be no immediate reopening of the road to traffic.

A spokesman for the water company told the Melton Times this morning (Wednesday): “The repair on the burst main on Saxby Road has been completed.

"We will now reinstate the road surface and get everything back to normal as quickly as possible.

“Due to the damage caused by the burst, the reinstatement works are unlikely to be completed before next week.”

Many drivers had been using Lag Lane in the aftermath of the closure but County Hall agreed a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order to close that route as well with concerns over heavy traffic using a rural road.

On the Saxby Road closure, the Severn Trent spokesman added: "In order to safeguard the workforce and ensure the safety of road users, traffic management will remain in place for the duration.

“We know that roadworks can be frustrating and would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

The burst pipe led to heavy flooding on Saturday and caused hazardous driving conditions.

Severn Trent said repair work was initially delayed by other services being close to the ruptured main and work teams had to wait for colleagues from other utilities to attend the scene.