GAS supplies in the market town of Bedale should be boosted on completion of a week-long project that gets under way next week.

Pipeline company Transco is due to start work next Wednesday on a scheme to meet the town's growing gas demands.

Engineers will be placing an 80-metre section of gas main from Bridge Street, across the Market Place, and into Sussex Street.

They hope to avoid too much digging by laying the section inside an old gas pipe which has not been used for a number of years.

The new section should allow the company to supply more gas to a part of the town where development has led to an increase in demand.

However, the work will involve the setting up of four-way temporary traffic lights in the Market Place.

Network officer Neil Wilkinson said: "Unfortunately any work of this nature is bound to cause some inconvenience and we can only apologise for that."