IT looked like a case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand was doing when workmen dug up a road repaired by the council just days earlier.

But there was a perfectly reasonable explanation why work was carried out twice in a short space of time on Trull Road, Taunton - an emergency caused by a gas leak.

Motorists were delighted to see potholes being filled in on a stretch between the road's junction with Galmington Road and Broadlands Road between March 29 and 31.

But they were dismayed when contractors from a utilities returned and set to work with their digger and spades last week.

Ken Blagdon, who lives on Galmington Road, welcomed the resurfacing work carried out by Somerset County Council, but queried why the road was then dug up again within three weeks.

He said: "A new flat surface will be scarred by a patchwork of repairs, which will no doubt break up with next year's winter weather."

Andy Barrett, from Trull, said it was "great" that highways had resurfaced the road.

He added: "The potholes were horrendous.

"We had to suffer a few delays with the traffic lights, but it was a price worth paying.."

The two men will have been relieved to hear that the second roadworks was unavoidable and not a case of poor communications.

A spokesman for Somerset County Council said: “We regularly meet with all utility firms and make sure any planned roadworks are carried out before roads are resurfaced.

"However, the second dig at Trull Road was not planned – it was emergency work by Wales and West Utilities to repair a gas leak.

"This is frustrating for everyone, but clearly it is not possible to prevent unplanned emergency repair works.”