An open manhole left unrepaired for months has led to a big row between Slough Borough Council and BT.

The council is now threatening to ban Openreach - the company that runs BT's infrastructure - from doing any more work in the borough.

The open manhole has threatened the safety of people walking in Long Readings Lane, Slough for seven months - despite a barrage of phone calls and complaints.

Steven Llewellyn who lives in the road reported it first to Slough Borough Council who sent someone to make it safe temporarily.

But Openreach failed to complete the job and the manhole became dangerous again.

Mr Llewellyn received an email from the network inspector at the highway division at Slough Council on December 15 saying that the authority had informed Openreach again, because the manhole cover was still exposed.

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Mr Llewellyn says he has since contacted BT several times and been given dates when the site will be repaired but no-one has ever turned up.

A spokesman for Slough Borough Council said: “We have reported this to Openreach on numerous occasions and are dismayed this has still not been fixed as we were promised.

"We have escalated it and are reviewing all other Openreach work and may suspend permission for any further work in Slough until this is rectified as it is unacceptable our residents have had to wait so long.”

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Following an inquiry by the Slough Observer this week an Openreach spokesman said: “We’re really grateful to the residents who have brought the damaged duct cover to our attention. 

"One of our engineers will attend the site and assess it today and we’ll make sure that it’s repaired as quickly as possible. We’re sorry if the problem has caused concern for residents and we will monitor the situation until works are complete.”

The company is investigating what has caused the delay.