COMPENSATION claims worth hundreds of thousands of pounds could be on their way to North West Water as a sewer-replacement scheme enters its fifth month.

Hotels and businesses in Clifton Drive North, St Annes, say they have suffered not only disruption and inconvenience but significant loss of trade while the work has gone on.

Traffic diversions slashed their passing trade and some guests even moved out of hotels, unable to put up with the noise and inaccessibility.

North West Water admit the £1 million project, to replace a mile of crumbling 110-year-old sewer, should have gone on only from September to Christmas.

NWW blamed technical problems - in particular a boring machine which jammed under Bentinck Road - for the delay.

A press spokeswoman said: "We are hoping to have it done by the end of this month, although we can't confirm it definitely will be finished then.

"We apologise to residents and sympathise with the fact that this disruption is ongoing longer than we hoped, but we are trying to get the work done as quickly as possible.

"Any businesses that feel they have a case for compensation can write in, each case will be considered on its merits."

Langdales Hotel manager Sharon Stearman commented: "We've already contacted our solicitor and the accountant is assessing what our losses have been.

"Some guests left because of the noise and vibrations, others made inquiries and never came back.

"One man had to cancel a return stay because he could not get access for his disabled son and we lost a lot of passing trade - it killed our weekends stone dead."

Anthony Duggan, managing director of the New England Inn and JD's restaurant, added: "As a business on a main road that relies a lot on passing traffic it affected us quite badly.

"What made it worse was that they started it in what should have been our peak period during the Lights."

Irena Thompson, who runs the Toy and Teddy Bear Museum, said she had already received an interim payment but would be seeking further compensation.

"My business has been very badly affected. Even though the work has now moved, the diversions mean passing traffic has been cut to a third."

One fed-up hotel manager observed: "I'm sure it didn't take this long to build the original sewer."

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