A council has apologised after works to replace the street lights in Diss began without warning.Norfolk County Council agreed a �150m project two years ago to replace 50,000 street lights and 12,000 illuminated signs across the county as part of a private finance deal.

A council has apologised after works to replace the street lights in Diss began without warning.

Norfolk County Council agreed a �150m project two years ago to replace 50,000 street lights and 12,000 illuminated signs across the county as part of a private finance deal.

But town councillors and residents in Diss were left angered after they were given no advance notice that the scheme was starting in the south Norfolk town.

Diss mayor Jane Trippett-Jones said many residents were unaware of the works until the county council's contractors turned up earlier this month. Workmen have already started replacing street lights in Vince's Road, Park Road and Stanley Road.

'A lot of the residents have not been informed and I think it is bad practice,' said Mrs Trippett-Jones.

Jenny Chamberlin, local Norfolk County Councillor, added her apologies at Diss Town Council on Wednesday night last week after it had emerged that the programme had been brought forward by two months.

John Birchall, spokesman for the county council, said the PFI project to replace lights across Norfolk over the next 25 years had been 'rejigged' by contractors Amey.

'Diss had to be brought forward at short notice and we apologise for not giving the normal notification that people normally expect,' he said.