VALE residents were given an early Christmas present they had been waiting 30 years for when the Wyre Piddle and Upper Moor bypass opened.

Worcestershire County Council chairman, councillor Bob Bullock and Eileen Attwood, a prominent member of the group that lobbied the Department of Transport to build the bypass, opened the £6m road last Friday, marking the end of a lengthy campaign.

Councillor Bullock and Mrs Attwood, who also unveiled a commemorative plaque, took the opportunity of being the first two people to drive along the new route, which will take through traffic - including heavy goods vehicles - out of the village.

Councillor John Smith, cabinet assistant for environment and sustainability, said: "This is a great occasion for the people of Wyre Piddle and Upper Moor who have campaigned long and hard for this bypass.

"We have always supported their campaign and hopefully now they will reap their reward for perseverance."

Member for area councillor Liz Tucker added: "It has been a long haul to finally achieve this - 22 years for me - and with plenty of obstacles on the way. Everyone has kept going, even when it seemed we wouldn't get what we wanted, and today is reward for that.

"All we need now is for the Western Link to be put in place to finish the job properly."

*The new road system linking the bypass means that several roads will be re-classified, which was agreed when the Government accepted the county council's bypass bid.

The existing A4538 and parts of other roads will become the new A44 Primary route between Evesham and Worcester, and the existing A44 will become the new B4084.

The new A44 will begin at the A46 trunk road at the northern end of the Evesham bypass and end at the A440 at Swinesherd Way in Worcester. The B4082 between Pershore and Pinvin will become the new A4104 to maintain links between A roads.

l OTTERS in Wyre Piddle are also celebrating the opening of the new bypass, thanks to the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.

The trust has been working with the county council to ensure that the design of the road takes account of the crucial role of the Piddle Brook in the recovery of the otter in the county.

It has ensured that otter underpasses and guiding fences are part of the bridge design. Without these otters would run the risk of being hit by traffic.