APPERLEY Lane in Rawdon has been reopened after weeks of work to replace a collapsed sewer.

One lane of the road has been closed to traffic to allow contractors to replace a large sewer that collapsed in 2015.

Yorkshire Water is spending around £250,000 to replace a 250 metre stretch of pipe under Apperley Lane from the roundabout up to the Micklefield Lane junction.

The company will still be working in the area in the coming weeks and it says traffic lights may be needed at times on the road, while local homes are connected up to the new sewer.

Jonathan LeMoine of Yorkshire Water said: "We appreciate the lane closure caused traffic disruption for locals and people passing through the area but replacing this part of the sewer network is vital to stop further issues in the future.

"We’re happy to have completed the section needing the lane closure mostly during the school summer holidays as we knew this would cause the least disruption when traffic tends to be lighter.

"We hope people will be patient as we continue to work as fast as we can to complete this essential project."

The work is part of a £3.8bn investment programme by Yorkshire Water between 2015 and 2020.

A spokesman said it was highly unlikely that contractors would need to access people's homes as part of the work. And the company warned local residents to be vigilant of unscrupulous people posing as employees. All contractors and employees carry photographic ID which can be verified as genuine by calling 0800 1 38 78 78.

Yorkshire Water warned in July that the nine-week schedule of work was due to begin. It apologised for any disruption but said the work was essential to prevent flooding to houses and the danger of a road collapse. Work was carried out by Mott MacDonald Bentley.