THE Burnley to Todmorden Road is to remain closed for a further week while major repairs continue to prevent further landslips and flooding.

The £280,000 scheme started last week was due for completion today but has now been extended for a further week. The road is closed, excess for access, between the A671/A646 junction in Burnley and the A6033/A646 junction at Todmorden.

The work at Ratten Clough involves installing 600 stone columns to stabilise the road as well as carrying out extensive drainage, earth works and carriageway reconstruction.

After the road is re-opened next week there will be single lane traffic until the work is completed in the spring.

Highways Agency project manager Nick Moreton said: "Temporary repairs have been carried out in the past but this is the first time that we have address the underlying problem. We appreciate this work is causing disruption to motorists and local residents.

"But we hope to provide a long term remedy and ask people to bear with us while this work is carried out. The problem is that the road is located on a natural geographical slip plain which the heavy rainfall in recent months has exacerbated causing the road slippage."