DELAYED work to fix pavements along a main town centre street in Witney has finally begun, despite another last- minute setback.

The £50,000 project was due to start in November but was pushed back after Oxfordshire County Council workers overran on other projects.

It was then supposed to begin on Monday for five weeks but finally started on Tuesday after the snow again delayed it.

Businesses along the stretch, between Market Square and Swan Court, said the work was much needed but would hit trade.

Parking will be suspended along the road while work is carried out.

The county council has already spent £15,000 revamping and improving railings around Church Green and installing speed warning signs in Oxford Hill.

A £30,000 project to repair broken and uneven slabs in Market Square is expected to begin within the next few months.

Ann Madden, 76, of New Yatt Road, who badly injured herself after falling in Market Square in October, said the work could not come soon enough.

She said: “It is about time this work was done. I am just glad they are going to do something about it before someone gets killed.”

Martin Brittain, branch manager of Connells Estate Agents in Corn Street, said: “The pavement does not look very nice and people have fallen on it.

“There are a lot of potholes everywhere that they have tried to fill in, but they have not done a very good job and they have already broken up.”

Councillor David Harvey, county council member for Witney West, said: “Over the decades since the pavement was last done it has become rutted and potholed and has given rise to numerous complaints from members of the public. It is particularly bad for the disabled and people with push chairs.

“The county council had originally scheduled this for last November and when I queried why it had not happened there were a number of different reasons to do with the overrunning of other county council projects.

“I am delighted that the work finally seems to be getting under way.”