A TRADER has hit out at 'ugly' scaffolding which has been a blight on the town centre for months.

Halifax erected the structure before beginning 'vital repairs' at its branch in Graham Road, Malvern.

Severn Trent Water cannot fix a water leak in the street until the scaffolding has been removed.

Sara Morris, aged 51, co-owner of Rhubarb Home, in Graham Road, said: "I know that people are fed up with the scaffolding.

"It's just a bit of a blight on the landscape. Especially for us being the type of shop we are.

"It's ugly, it was there for a long time before any work was done. I heard it could be there until November.

"I'm obviously concerned about the water leak as it's a waste. [But] I'm more concerned about the scaffolding. It would be nice to see it gone."

Mrs Morris added that a school bus hit the scaffolding a few weeks ago.

A resident said the saga has been going on for six months and raised his concerns about the risk to pedestrians and children in prams.

Mark Pharoah, of Victoria Road, Malvern, said: "My main complaint is that the scaffolding has effectively reduced the main road pavement to single file thus handicapping elderly and disabled pedestrians , mothers with babies and young children and people using the road crossing at the lights.

"The leak is only a hazard for people exiting across running water at present, but this could change after hard frost."

Peter Smith, town councillor for Priory ward in Malvern, said: "I'm not aware of the leak but obviously something should be done to resolve it one way or another.

"It's also the most appalling waste of water and someone somewhere needs to get together to take a decision to do something about it."

Halifax confirmed that there was a delay between the scaffolding being erected and the repairs commencing.

A spokesman for the bank apologised for any inconvenience caused and said they hoped to complete the work as soon as possible.

The scaffolding has been up since at least May as part of repairs to the branch's roof, windows and stonework.

A Severn Trent Water spokesman said: "The scaffolding’s still there so we still can’t repair it.

"Once we’re aware that the scaffolding’s been removed, we can work to get traffic management in place and start the repair."