A busy route into a town will be closed for five weeks as urgent gas works are carried out.

Engineers have started replacing the network in Millstrood Road, Whitstable near the Old Thanet Way roundabout.

Bosses at SGN say they have been investigating since January 11 to find the source of water ingress which is affecting gas supplies in the area.

Engineers need to carry out urgent work, which started today, to replace a 260m section of old metal gas mains with new plastic pipe.

The firm says it will be working from the Old Thanet Way roundabout by Tesco to the junction with Bellevue Road.

A letter sent to residents said: "This work is essential to ensure the community continues to receive a safe and reliable gas supply.

"In consultation with Kent County Council, our contractor – I & G Contracting – who will be completing this project on our behalf, will be starting on January 30.

"We anticipate this work will take approximately five weeks.

"Due to the position of the pipes in the road and to ensure the safety of everyone around our worksite, we will need to close Millstrood Road at its junction with Thanet Way.

"While the road is closed, there will be signed diversion routes in place and access will be maintained for residents and businesses.

"We understand that people can get frustrated by roadworks and therefore we only use traffic management that we feel is efficient enough to complete these works safely for ourselves and the public."

Meanwhile, business owners fear plans to seal off parts of a critical route for two months will drive tourists away from two Kent seaside towns.

Both carriageways running along the A299 New Thanet Way between Whitstable and Herne Bay will be shut in turn for four weeks from the beginning of April.

Kent County Council officials say teams will replace the lights in the Chestfield tunnel and carry out "deep carriageway reconstruction repairs" in the area while the closures are imposed.

With much of the coast and London-bound traffic expected to be directed along the Old Thanet Way, residents are worried there will be gridlock on the approach to the towns at Estuary View and Greenhill.