MAJOR works to rebuild a road in Ilminster which has been closed since February are due to start on Monday - a week earlier than planned.

Highways bosses at Somerset County Council say that providing there are no unseen problems or extreme bad weather, it means the B3168 at The Beacon should be repaired and reopened in time for Christmas.

The road was first closed for safety reasons earlier this year when prolonged heavy rain caused the road to move and there were concerns for the safety of drivers.

Since then Somerset County Council has carried out extensive geological surveys and found two areas where major works are needed.

The repairs, which include a full reconstruction of the highway and footways and a new drainage system, are expected to take around seven weeks to complete.

Your Chard & Ilminster News has campaigned for the re-opening of the road for several months, bombarding the council for answers and a timetable of work.

On Monday, Cllr Harvey Siggs, Somerset County Council's Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “I'm delighted to hear that we are now finally in a position to start work on rebuilding the B3168.

“I know the road closure has been frustrating, but there was a serious problem and we had to be sure we were fixing it properly. I'm pleased we will be able to do this and also increase the strength of the road to protect against future problems.

“My thanks go to all the teams working very hard to make this happen. I know a lot of their hard work has taken place behind the scenes, but they deserve praise for finding a solution. We're optimistic this can be completed in seven weeks, meaning the road should be open before Christmas.”