Part of a main road leading into a town centre is due to be shut for more than a week.

A section of London Road in Maidstone will be closed to allow works by South East Water.

The road is set to be closed between Leafy Lane and Buckland Hill, where Somefield Hospital once stood.

It will allow South East Water to "complete a customer connection" starting on Saturday, February 11 until the following Sunday.

The closure is during half term, so both Maidstone Grammar School for Girls and Maplestone Noakes in Buckland Road will be unaffected.

A 9.21km diversion route is in place for drivers, which will add an extra 14 minutes onto travel time.

Drivers are being directed through London Road, Tonbridge Road, Fountain Lane, Hermitage Lane and then back onto London Road.

Steve Andrews, head of central operations at South East Water, said: “A road closure will be in place along London Road between 11 and 19 February to allow our team to safely complete a customer connection.

“This work involves connecting a customer supply pipe to our existing water network and we are very sorry for any disruption caused to the local community.

“Road closures are always a last resort but we have to prioritise the safety of both the public and our workforce.

“Access to homes and businesses will be maintained at all times and a clearly-signed diversion route, agreed by the local Highways authority, will be in place.”