CULVERT replacement work which will close a section of Rawtenstall's main shopping street for 14 weeks is now set to start in May instead of April.

Lancashire County Council is replacing the old masonry culvert with a new concrete one to carry Balladen Brook under Bank Street, and engineers will have to close the main street from Back Lane to Ormerod Street.

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "The message we want to get out is that people are going to be able to get access to the shops once the work begins. We are also working with the traders to produce a leaflet to promote the shops and explain to customers what is happening.

"We have also an agreement with the market traders to produce additional signs to let people know the market is still open."