CONSTRUCTION work finally got under way yesterday on a major new road which was delayed for several months to allow nesting birds to raise their young.

A ground breaking ceremony took place to mark the start of work on the first phase of the East Durham Link Road, to connect Seaham with the A1(M), via the A690 - a route first proposed in the wake of the pit closures of the early Nineties.

The £3.5m first phase of the scheme will provide 1.7km of single carriageway, connecting the Cold Heseldon junction with the former Hawthorn Colliery and cokeworks site, which is to be developed for industry.

The works are expected to take 42 weeks to complete and would have begun earlier this year had it not been for the presence of ground-nesting birds along the route, including skylarks, meadow pipits and lapwings.

Durham County Council is to submit a funding bid for the second phase of the link road, which would connect the first phase section with the B1285 and will bypass Murton to the west, as well as reducing traffic levels in South Hetton and improving access to the proposed Hawthorn Industrial Estate.

Councillor Rob Crute, executive member for regeneration, District of Easington, said: "The East Durham Link Road is a key element in the continued regeneration of Murton and East Durham.

"It will provide a further boost for the local economy and significantly improve east-west links across Easington and eventually enhance access to the A1."

County councillor John Maddison, who performed the ground breaking ceremony with pupils from Murton Community Primary School and Easington District Council leader Coun Alan Napier, said: "We are pleased to have had the opportunity to work in partnership with the District of Easington on such an important initiative which is going to bring great economic and environmental benefit to the people of East Durham."

Work is being paid for by Easington District Council, the Single Programme and the European Regional Development Fund. The scheme has been designed and will be constructed by Durham County Council's strategic alliance for civil engineering, with Cumbrian Industrials as the main contractor