Residents are celebrating after roadworks have been removed - after almost a year and a half.

The barriers were placed around a stretch of road on Chapel Hill, Halstead, in March 2014 so Essex County Council could repair a culvert.

They have finally been removed this week after the work - deemed in September last year as a priority - had been completed.

An Essex Highways spokesperson said: “We have been carrying out culvert repair and strengthening work in Chapel Hill.

“All work on the carriageway requiring temporary traffic lights has now been completed.

“All the remaining remedial work on privately owned land was completed on Friday.”

Alan Gladwin, of Mill Bridge, who uses the road to visit the Woodlands Gym in White Ash Green three times a week, led a campaign to get the work done.

He believed the roadworks were dangerous as they were on a blind bend.

Mr Gladwin, 73, said: “I am really pleased that the road has been prepared.

“It is crazy that it has taken this long.”