WORKMEN downed tools to sip champagne and indulge in a game of croquet with the approval of their boss.

The team from contractors Laing O'Rourke was relining underground pipes for Yorkshire Water, at Irton Manor, near Scarborough.

However, at first it seemed the project was going to cause a major problem for site owner George Plant because the main runs beneath his tennis courts, ornamental garden and croquet lawn.

Under normal procedure, all of them would have had to be dug up but the team prevented this by removing a bend from the pipe to take it away from part of the manor grounds.

Mr Plant and wife Ann were so impressed that they presented the team with a magnum of bubbly when the work was completed and invited the crew back to their home to play croquet on the lawn which the workers protected.

Mr Plant said: "It was a very difficult job but they were a credit to their company and to Yorkshire Water. I'm an ex-miner so I recognise hard graft and these were eight nice guys doing a smashing job."

Yorkshire Water solutions manager, Dean Williamson, said: "Of course, we recognise that projects can cause disruption and we are prepared to listen to constructive criticism when things don't go according to plan. But it's nice to receive praise for a job well done and Mr Plant's gestures of thanks were certainly appreciated."