Emergency work is being carried out on a main road after the sewer collapsed while Yorkshire Water employees were trying to repair it.

Residents at Leeming, near Bedale have been facing traffic chaos and an eight mile detour since the middle of march when the road from Leeming Bar to Leeming was closed, and the children’s playground was cordoned off because work had to be carried out.

It had been hoped the road could have been at least partially opened one way with traffic lights but it’s understood there was a danger it would collapse under the weight of cars and wagons.

Yorkshire Water has revealed this week the road will now be closed until the end of June.

A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said: “Unfortunately, we have had to extend the closure of Leeming Lane as our initial work has uncovered additional issues that need to be rectified. The extended closure will enable us to complete all the work required at one time, rather than returning and causing further disruption later.

“We have worked closely with North Yorkshire Council’s highways team to keep disruption to a minimum and have enabled other utilities to complete work in the area while our road closure is in place, again reducing disruption in the longer term.

“We have looked at a variety of options for Leeming Lane, but in collaboration with the local council it was deemed necessary to keep the road closure in place to ensure the safety of workers on site and the public. We are working to renew the sewer as quickly as possible and hope to complete the work before 30 June.”

A North Yorkshire Council spokesman said: “These works have been extended until Friday June 30. There have been several collapses of the sewer while the team have been trying to repair the sewer and sink hole. Which had led to further health and safety concerns.

“Specialist machinery has been required on site daily to try and deal with further complications. Yorkshire Water now need to instal a new sewer as a result of this. If there is any scope to reopen this road sooner then Yorkshire Water will try their best to do this.”

Residents said it is causing havoc in Leeming Bar and Leeming Lane because the school which has over 40 pupils is cut off from the main road and some parents are facing the detour twice a day.

One resident said: “We are all just fed up of it, it wouldn’t be so bad if it was one way but to close off the whole road has made it very difficult. It is obviously a major job, if the sewer is collapsing that is a concern. Many people have been worried that there has been too much pressure put on the sewers with a lot more houses being built, the Co-op and the extension of the Leeming Bar industrial estate.

“Maybe they have tried to repair it, but it should have been replaced from the start.”