A CROSS border single track road linking Monmouth in Wales with Welsh Newton in England has been closed to through traffic for five weeks to repair a bank damaged by a lorry shedding its trailer load of timber nearly a year ago.

Manson Lane was briefly shut in October for work to start before highway officials realised it was a bigger project than originally thought.

Signs at both ends of the two-mile lane only indicate that the road is closed, but there is access either side of the closure near the car park at the entrance to Buckholt Woods, 1.5 miles from the Monmouth junction.

A trailer being pulled out of the woods by the timber lorry toppled over a laneside bank last February, tipping its load into a private garden below, smashing the hedge and damaging the side of the lane, which has been partly cordoned off since the accident.

The work, which is reported to be costing tens of thousands of pounds, will see the road closed until early Februray.

Signs saying the road has been closed and signalling a diversion through the Buckholt on the A466 to Welsh Newton, Llanrothal and Tregate are in place at both ends.

Herefordshire Highways posted: "We’ll be carrying out essential repairs to the edge of the carriageway on Manson Lane, Manson, from Monday January 5 to February 6, with a 24/7 full road closure during this period.

"Follow the signed route via Manson Lane / A466 / C1247 Tregate Lane (and vice versa).

"Thank you for your patience while we complete these important works."

Despite ‘road closed’ signs on site, and a digger and a Balfour Beatty storage container in the adjacent woods car park, there was no sign of any works ongoing or having taken place on Wednesday afternoon (January 7).