Contractors worked extra hours at the weekend to repair damaged sewer outside a Diss toy shop, after the infuriated owner contacted the Mercury. Problems with subsidence outside the store in St Nicholas Street have been ongoing since the summer, leading to an investigation by county highways officials to establish the cause.

Contractors worked extra hours at the weekend to repair damaged sewer outside a Diss toy shop, after the infuriated owner contacted the Mercury.

Problems with subsidence outside the store in St Nicholas Street have been ongoing since the summer, leading to an investigation by county highways officials to establish the cause.

But proprietor Roy Minshull was horrified when workmen returned again on December 4 and put up a large fence around the site - making it difficult for customers to get to his premises.

“I am absolutely fuming and that's the polite way to put it. They have known about this problem since August and three weeks before Christmas they decide to dig up the road. It's absolutely crazy!

“They have put up a metal cage. One of my windows is blocked off and you can hardly get into the shop. They've told me there's a sewer pipe down there that is damaged, and the longer it's been left the worse it's got.”

The road was blocked off and diversions set up, while work continued. But Anglian Water spokesman Dan Baker was optimistic the repairs would be completed last night.

“The contractors did encounter an extra problem, but they are telling they will be out by this evening,” he said, adding that Anglian Water apologised for any inconvenience that had been caused.