A KEY Dorset road will be shut for a week from today due to ‘urgent repairs’ after a sewer collapse.

A 200-metre section of the A357 Blandford Road (The Cross) between the two junctions of Church Road, in Shillingstone, near Blandford will be closed in both directions.

The Travel Dorset service states the road will be closed from Monday, January 11 and it is anticipated the roadworks will be completed by Sunday, January 17 and the road will be reopened on Monday, January 18.

A spokesman said: “A sewer has collapsed and Wessex Water need to begin urgent repairs on Monday, January 11 with a full road closure. Works are expected to take a week.”

Wessex Water's repair teams will be working extended hours during the repairs and access will remain for residents and emergency vehicles. Residents’ sewerage services will not be affected.

A Wessex Water spokesman said: “We apologise for any delays to essential journeys or inconvenience caused to local people.

“We will do everything we can to complete the emergency repairs as quickly as possible."

Travel Dorset has published the official diversion route online, which will take almost an hour to follow the 32.8-mile route.

The reason for the length of the diversion is because the closure is on an A-road and therefore any official alternative route must use the same class of road.

Alternatively, there are a number of shorter but unofficial routes that drivers can take to avoid the road closure. These not suitable for HGVs and should be avoided if using larger machinery.

For the official diversion to bypass the road closure, drivers must head north-west on A357 towards Castle Lane for 7.3 miles and then turn left to stay on A357.

Motorists must follow the road and turn right onto A30 Shaftesbury Road and continue to follow A30 for 9.6 miles.

At the roundabout, take the fourth exit onto Little Content Lane/A30/A350 and through one roundabout.

After 0.7 miles, drivers should take the 3rd exit onto A350 at the roundabout onto A350 and follow the road for 9.8 miles. Motorists will then turn right to rejoin the A357.

Residents and businesses in the area have been notified of the roadworks and subsequent road closure and diversion route.

Dorset Council warns that any person who breaches the road closure could be convicted or face a fine not exceeding £1,000.

The diversion route will be signposted on the road.

Anyone with any concerns or wish to discuss any issues regarding the roadworks can contact Dorset Council online via http://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/roadworks/enquiries