A MULTI-MILLION pound scheme to pedestrianise a North-East town centre could be delayed by months and cost hundreds of thousand pounds extra.

Last night, some traders in Darlington reacted with anger after the discovery that the £6.5m Pedestrian Heart project had been hit with a major snag.

A 100-year-old gas main is not buried as deeply as research had indicated - and if it is not moved, it could compromise the foundations of the project.

Contractors now need to replace the pipe - work that will cost between £680,000 and £780,000 and take at least four months.

Last night, council bosses said they would strive to complete the whole project by February or March next year as scheduled - but could not offer any guarantees. The council is also looking to make savings in other areas.

Jacqui Jones, from Latimer Hinks, in Priestgate, said traders would have to suffer "another four months of chaos".

She said: "It's unbelievable they did not know a gas main like that was there. This will mean there is chaos in the middle of town for even longer."

Robin Blair, a fresh produce trader in the Covered Market, said: "Businesses are already suffering and any delay is going to cost us more money."

Alan Draper, who runs More Good Books, in the market, said: "It is sad, but I don't think it is the council's fault. I just hope they work day and night to get this finished as quickly as possible."

Last night, traders urged Darlington residents and visitors to continue going to the town centre and supporting shops and stalls.

The iron pipe runs through the town centre from Northgate, through Prebend Row, West Row and Blackwellgate. It will be replaced with a polyethylene pipe. The work is expected to take about 20 weeks, but this could be shortened to 16 weeks.

The council has already identified one possible saving, on lighting, which could save £140,000.

John Buxton, Darlington Borough Council's director of development and environment, said: "At the moment, the full impact of the gas main replacement on the Pedestrian Heart scheme is still under assessment.

"We are working to reschedule the programme of works, but we are still not able to come to a conclusion as to when the Pedestrian Heart works will be completed.