THE owner of Hopwood Garden Centre claims trade was down 60 per cent last month because work to lay new sewage pipes created access problems.

Peter Joannides said Severn Trent had been working outside the Ash Lane premises for the last few months.

He added the work was due to be finished in January but was now likely to continue until March 28, meaning Mother's Day sales could also be hit.

A Severn Trent spokesman said the work, started in December, was part of a £1.1 million project to improve the sewer system in Barnt Green and Hopwood.