LUDLOW will face further disruption with yet more town centre road works on the way.

Work in Corve Street and the Bull Ring is still likely to take 12 weeks from January 12, as stated on temporary road signs - but repaving work in Old Street is not included in that timetable.

The Old Street section of the project is due to start in mid-March as work in the Bull Ring nears completion. A date to finish Old Street works has yet to be fixed but it could take up to another month. The Bull Ring leading into King Street will be shut on Sundays as the roadway is resurfaced.

Fears of the effect on the town's traders intensified on Tuesday when workmen triggered off two separate power cuts by accidentally cutting through two sets of cable in Corve Street. Supplies to shops, HSBC and NatWest banks.

The first power cut was at 11.15am. Shortly after electricity was restored there was a second cut, which lasted until 3pm. NatWest manager Tony Price and his team stayed open until daylight began to fade.

"All the computers were down and the cash point wouldn't work," he said. "We did as much as we could but once we had shut down our equipment then it wasn't worth opening it all up again."

Meat at butchers A H Griffiths remained safe in refrigerated units but staff could not weigh anything or use the electronic tills.

"We've certainly lost trade," said manager Dennis Purcell. Another trader, who did not wish to be named, said the driver of the mechanical digger should be "found a new job pushing a broom".

Jake Wentworth of contractors Mouchel Parkman, said: "We are seriously going to have a really good think to see if there is another way of safeguarding the men on the site. It's very, very worrying."

Shropshire County Council said the whole scheme has three aims.

The new pavements were meant to "provide a high quality street scene in keeping with the historic town centre", it said.

It should be safer and easier for people to cross the road, especially at the Bull Ring and it would also "reinforce the existing 20mph speed limit."