RESIDENTS who have had their daily lives disrupted by road closures around Canford Bottom say it has been a nightmare.

For seven weeks, they have had to go miles out of their way on diversions just to get to work, take children to school or do their shopping.

Many reacted angrily to a Ferndown councillor saying that the £5.7million Highways Agency project had “not been as bad as we feared”.

Colehill resident Helen Hobbs, 44, said: “It sparked a lot of fury with a lot of people I know, who couldn’t believe he could say that.

“We don’t see that the end is near, just an indication of what we’re going to have to put up with again when the roundabout is closed for two weeks during the Olympics.”

Mrs Hobbs, who works at The Barn nursery in Stapehill, and is a governor at Hampreston First School, says parents with children of different ages have been facing difficulties dropping off and collecting them each day.

The diversion route through Ferndown industrial estate can take 45 minutes at peak times, she said, while others have started using the A31 underpass to walk.

Local roads are due to reopen on Friday, March 23.