TWO days of traffic chaos in Marlborough were caused by the highway authority, it has emerged.

Traffic built up in on both sides of the town, towards Hungerford and towards Beckhampton, on Saturday and Sunday, because contractors had dug a trench across the Salisbury Road entrance to George Lane.

County councillor Margaret Boulton said she only learned about the road works after they had started.

She was angry at the decision to close George Lane, the only alternative route to the High Street for through traffic, on a busy summer weekend.

Road closure signs, put up only yards from the busy junction simply said the road ahead was closed without stating whether it was George Lane or the High Street.

The chaos was compounded by the fact that traffic was routed off the M4 following an accident.

A county council spokesman said the road had to be closed to enable emergency repairs to be carried out to a storm drain and figures showed traffic was lightest at weekends but he apologised for the poor advance warning signs and added the closure of the M4 could not have been foreseen.