Midsomer Norton drivers have been pulled up short by signs closing the main Silver Street through fare - two days before its official closure on January 6.

Silver Street will be closed for up to seven months, but signs went up today.

The route is initially expected to only be closed to vehicles weighing over 7.5 tonnes - with the B3355 closed from its junction with Charlton Road, to its point with Somerset County Council Boundary (outside Midsomer Norton Rugby and Football Club) - expected to be a traffic nightmare.

The closure had been expected from November, but after an urgent plea from businesses and residents it was delayed until 2020.

B&NES Council have closed the road in order to start work on putting in electricity and other utilities in order to start work on the new primary school. The company behind the development say they will keep "the road closure period to a minimum, and residents will always have access to their properties."

The works include:

- Tree and vegetation removal

- New gas, water and electric mains

- Existing services diversion

- New foul drainage

- New storm drainage for surface water

- Road widening, resurfacing

- New footpath/crossings.

Signs went up today (Friday January 3), much to the frustration of drivers who were ready for Monday's closure, but furious that it had apparently been imposed early.

One driver said: "These signs shouldn't be even out until the evening of the 5th at the earliest.

Another added: " A pain in the ass for all those wanting to drive that way over the weekend "

An alternative route is being proposed by the council as Charlton Road – A367 Fosseway – B3355, Silver Street.

The new primary school will have 630 places and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The development site will also include a 64-bed care home and housing.

The company behind the building work is ISG, which will be working with the Department for Education (DfE) to bring what they call an "aspirational" new primary school to the community of Midsomer Norton. The £7.8 million school will specialise in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), modern foreign languages, forest school and outdoor learning.