A COMMUNITY'S link with the outside world is to be virtually severed as repair work continues on a landslip-hit bank.

Five thousand cubic metres of soil - enough to cover eight football pitches - have already been removed from Loftus Bank, east Cleveland, and replaced with 11,500 tonnes of stone, as the upper slope is reshaped.

The bank, which has had two landslides in recent years, carries the main A174 trunk road link between Teesside and the scattered communities of east Cleveland.

Road closures will take place on Sunday, August 14, and Sunday, August 21, from midnight on the Saturday until 4am on the Monday morning. Diversions will be signposted via the A171 moors road.

Between the two weekend closures, the existing traffic lights will be re-located to the bottom of Loftus Bank, to allow for repairs to the crash barrier.

Councillor Eric Empson, cabinet member for strategic planning, development and infrastructure, said: "We are delighted at the progress being made to solve this long-standing issue and to ensure easy access to Loftus Bank, which is vital to our east Cleveland communities.

"We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused by the road closures. However, we have chosen a time which will ensure any disruption will be kept to a minimum."

The council on Monday is delivering notices of the closures and advice on diversions to local residents.

Alfred McAlpine, the council's partner for highway maintenance, has been rebuilding the slope to a shallower angle by replacing the steep clay fill with single-size stone.

That is expected to be completed in mid-September.

The latest problem with Loftus Bank was identified in July last year, during a routine inspection.

Residents' fears that the problem was linked to a 1999 landslip and could create a multi-million pound repair bill proved unfounded.

In February 1999, a slice of Loftus bank, equivalent to half the width of the road, crashed 100ft to the bottom of a ravine.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council claimed the 1999 landslide was triggered by a water main bursting. But Northumbria Water countered that the area had a history of ground movement.

In the nine weeks of repairs which followed, about 20,000 tonness of unstable ground were removed and replaced with 200,000 tonnes of earth.

A 17.3-metre culvert was built over a stream and a 140-metre tunnel constructed to accommodate a sewer.

Meanwhile, this year's £3.3m highway maintenance programme by the council across the borough is progressing well, says Coun Empson.

One of the latest projects is resurfacing the B1269 Redcar Lane and Greenstones Road Roundabout.

Work starts on Monday, August 15, and is expected to take four weeks.