Water pipe damage and Victorian sewer discovery puts the brakes on road resurfacing

Church Street, High Street and Market Square in the town were due to be resurfaced from August 15 to 21.

But, Shropshire Council has said that while work was being carried out last week a shallow water pipe was struck by workers who discovered a Victorian brick sewer under the road surface of High Street

It said the pipe was less than 10cm deep, and was "much shallower than shown on the plans provided by the utility company in advance of the work".

The authority said that due to its depth, the pipe "went over an existing Victorian brick sewer, resulting in the pipe being struck" – with Severn Trent having been called in to make repairs.

Now the resurfacing work is being delayed while workers check in case any more pipes are damaged.

The situation means the barriers remain in place and the road is closed.

A statement from the authority said: "As the risk of additional shallow pipes remains high, the council’s contractor will be undertaking additional surveys and trial holes to identify and avoid hitting any other utilities services.

"As a result, the road cannot be opened for safety reasons and barriers have been put around the culvert.

"The road closure will remain in place and traffic management measures are likely to remain in place for at least a week. Access remains in place for pedestrians and it is still possible for people to access the town centre’s shops and other businesses.

"Further updates will be provided when available and people are thanked for their patience and understanding."