A WATER company that only weeks ago issued an official apology to residents for digging up their roads and verges, is returning to carry out further work.

In its written warning of maintenance work in villages near Ripon, Yorkshire Water said it would continue until three days before Christmas.

News of the scheme to replace old waterpipes and clean out others in an area covering Kirkby Malzeard, Grewelthorpe, Laverton, High Grantley, Sawley and Galphay, has come as a shock to some local people.

A few weeks ago, Yorkshire Water issued an apology to Grewelthorpe Parish Council for disturbing its village greens and grassed verges and not restoring them to their initial standard.

The company promised to do restoration work following a meeting with parish council officials.

Local residents, who have had to endure weeks of previous work, stared in disbelief at the letters warning of three months of further disruption.

However, a spokesman for Yorkshire Water said the extensive work was necessary to ensure that water quality was improved even further.

"It is a big scheme and involves major work in putting in new pipes as well as cleaning others," he said.

We apologise in advance for any disruption, but this is important work we are carrying out."

People living in the area have been warned that work will not only disturb the mains, but could also result in discoloured supplies for up to several hours at a time.