A Shropshire road which was controversially closed for major roadworks will reopen tomorrow – more than a week earlier than expected.

The A458 at Harley Bank, near Much Wenlock, will reopen mid afternoon.

The road shut on June 30 to allow Shropshire County Council contractors to remove tonnes of unstable rock. The road was originally scheduled to be closed for six weeks.

The road closure had caused great concern for traders in the town who claimed they would lose out on summer trade.

Councillor John Everall and Councillor David Gibbon will be at Harley Bank tomorrow to formally reopen the road and to observe the work that has been carried out.Councillor Everall said: “This is a great achievement for the officers and their consultants and contractors.

“This was a long and complex project, and it is great news that we can open the road ahead of schedule.

“We have worked hard to try and minimise disruption as much as possible, however, the road closure was essential for the safety of the public and the workforce, given the amount of rock that had to be excavated.”

More than 16,000 tonnes of rock has been excavated from the site following an investigation last year, which found the rock face to be unstable. At one point, the rock was 10 metres deep across the A458.

Contractor Enterprise has removed the rock and re-profiled the hill, to prevent future rock falls onto the A458 and to avoid future road closures. As well as this the council has taken the opportunity to reposition and widen the road.