A trader who has suffered road works outside his shop for nine weeks has been given a matching hole in his back garden.

Jim Lyner, of Claws 'n' Paws pet shop in Birkenshaw, said he was stunned to see a hole in his lawn after pulling back his curtains one morning last week.

Jim, who lives off Moor Lane, Birkenshaw, said the hole was the "icing on the cake" on what had been a bad start to the year.

He said: "I'd got back late the day the hole was dug so it was the next morning when I first saw it.

"I thought it was a prank at first and I was expecting to see Jeremy Beadle. To be fair I'd got a letter saying pipes needed replacing in the street but I didn't expect it to be in my garden."

Jim and fellow traders in Bradford Road were featured in the Telegraph & Argus last month claiming work to replace a gas main had harmed trade.

Jim is now set to claim compensation from gas pipeline company Transco for loss of earnings. His takings are down 40 per cent, due to customers having less space to park and prices being cut to shift surplus stock.

Traders have also complained workmen were digging up holes then not working on them for weeks.

A Transco spokesman said work had gone on longer than expected because of wet weather and because more damaged pipes had been found.

He said: "The workmen found additional work and rather than come back later it was decided to do it there and then.

"Rain has run into works which have been dug and added to that there's been some difficulties gaining access to properties which needed pipes replacing."

The spokesman added holes were dug and left open while pipe-work was built elsewhere prior to being laid.

He said: "We have tried to keep disruption to a minimum and we apologise to Mr Lyner for any inconvenience caused."

Transco expects the work to be completed by Friday.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.