ANDOVER residents can now breathe a sigh of relief as the long-awaited reopening of the footpath connecting London Road and Eastfield Road has finally taken place.

The path, which was blocked for several months following a storm that brought down a tree and lamppost, has been cleared following pressure from residents, borough councillor Iris Andersen and a report by the Advertiser.

The initial report on the closure published on July 1 highlighted the significant inconvenience caused to hundreds of residents, including the elderly and schoolchildren.

Cllr Andersen had expressed concerns about the safety risks posed by the damaged lamppost and crumbling wall, as well as the frustration felt by the community.

READ MORE: London Road cutway closure a concern for Andover residents

Following the publication of the report, Hampshire County Council appears to have accelerated its efforts to make the walkway accessible for residents.

Cllr Andersen has welcomed the news, saying that she is "delighted" for the residents who have been affected by the closure.

She has also thanked those who raised concerns and brought the issue to public attention.

When contacted previously, a county council spokesperson said the fallen tree caused considerable damage to the walls on either side of the footpath.

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"The collapsed wall belongs to a third party who has been contacted to have the rubble removed," the spokesperson said.

"The other wall, which is now unstable as a consequence of the tree coming down, belongs to the county council and we are in the process of making arrangements in preparation for the required work. Until the work on both walls is completed, which we anticipate will be by the end of July, it is regrettably not safe to reopen the footpath to the public.”

The council has now said: "The work in respect of the two walls has been completed and the footpath was safely reopened on 19 July. Further work to replace a damaged streetlight will be carried out during the week commencing 5 August."