Work on a £5.8 million bypass scheme has been delayed because of foot-and-mouth disease.

County Hall says it still hopes to complete the Angmering bypass by the original target date of December 2002.

Work had been due to start this summer on the road, which is designed to bring relief to the congested village near Littlehampton.

Foot-and-mouth restrictions have hampered two major surveys which must be carried out before construction can start Earlier this year a ground check and an archaeological search of the bypass route both had to be suspended because of the foot-and-mouth restrictions.

West Sussex County Council's head of transport planning, Colin Mckenna, said the delay coupled with bad weather expected from November onwards had put the scheme back until next spring.

He said: "In addition there are fears that with heavy lorries and trucks coming in and out of the site from all over the country the risk of foot-and-mouth infection would be far more difficult to control.

"We hope people will appreciate the need to be cautious even though there has been no outbreak of the disease in our county.

"Hopefully work will start in the spring and should still be completed by the original finishing date of December 2002 or early in 2003 at the latest."