A public rights of way, temporarily closed, after damage caused by Anglian Water works.

A section of Marsh Lane, which leads down from the main road in Shotley Gate, to the foreshore and the footpath alongside Shotley marina, was damaged by connection work by the water company.

The damage affected ramblers and dog walkers along the path and was reported by villager Ian Peters, who looked for swift action but was initially frustrated in getting someone to take responsibility.

However, Anglian Water have now accepted it will ensure the path is repaired and reopened to the public.

An Anglian Water spokesperson said: "During essential work to connect a new water mains to the marina development in Shotley Gate, unfortunately there was some water damage to the footpath running adjacent to the site, on Marsh Lane.

"The process to repair the footpath is now being dealt with by our third party insurance teams who are working closely with the council to resolve the issue. We are very sorry for any inconvenience this may be causing to local residents while we aim to get things put back to normal as quickly as possible."

A Suffolk County Council spokesperson added: "We are talking to Anglian Water following their work which caused some damage to the Public Right of Way footpath. 

"There are currently no timescales for the repairs to be completed, so the footpath is temporarily closed until further notice." 

Anglian Water engineers were today spotted in the area assessing damage.