With the centre of Davenham disrupted by roadworks at one end of Hartford Road, the parish council was stunned to discover North West Water were planning to dig up the other.

"It's absolutely diabolical," said ex chairman Arthur Wood.

"It's a monumental calamity."

The news came in a letter from Cheshire County Council, which informed the village's clerk that work was due to start on October 19 - for up to 15 weeks.

But after frantic phone calls to County Hall on Monday morning, the village's county councillor Bob Woodhouse discovered work may not start until next year after all.

"I have spoken to the county council's area engineer," he said.

"He has given me every indication that North West Water has made a blanket application which means they have permission to work in a variety of locations from the same date."

But North West Water were unable to confirm when the work is likely to start. Yesterday, Tuesday, they admitted that contractors Bechtel were planning to do sewer work in Davenham on their behalf and that they were planning to discuss the timing of the work with Vale Royal Borough Council.

"We do everything we can to cause the minimum amount of disruption possible," said a spokeswoman. The starting date will be confirmed this week.

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