Badgers hold up 10-month roadworks in village of Hulver

But few seem to have dragged on quite as long as those on Hulver Street.

Council contractors first descended on the busy route through the village of Hulver last December when a pothole appeared in the surface.

After cordoning off a part of the road, they discovered the cause of the damage - a badger sett dug underneath.

But that was only the start of the saga, which - 10 months on - still has no end in sight.

Badger setts can only be moved between July and October after a licence has been granted (Image: Newsquest)The road used to be flowing in both directions, but the sett has meant on side has been closed for eight months (Image: Bruno Brown)

Badgers are protected by law and their setts can only be moved between the beginning of July and the end of October, and only once Natural England has granted permission.

Suffolk Highways only applied for a licence to move the Hulver badgers in June and has still not received authorisation.

With only days until the end of October, it is still waiting.

If the licence is not granted before the end of the month, the restrictions will remain in place for at least another eight months.

In the meantime, one carriageway has been closed and a traffic light system is in place, causing traffic to build up on the busy rural route.

Michael Leedham, 81, is a lifelong member of the RSPB (Image: Bruno Brown)

Michael Leedham, 81, who lives nearby, said he was angry about the delays and uncertainty.

“I am so angry with the council's management of the road and these situations. I used to be a road engineer and am fully aware of the danger here, I cannot understand the council's delay in accessing a license to remove the sett.

“The way this has been handled has been bodged from day one, and time is simply running out. From December to June the council sat on this information and didn't do anything.

"Why did it take the council so long to inform the wildlife group to remove the badgers? They should have been on that straightaway.

“It has taken months for them to identify they have been burrowing underneath the road and the road could be at risk of collapsing. 

"I have the best interests of the animals and the safety of drivers in mind."

Badgers emerging from a sett

There has been no timeframe provided as to when the badger sett will be removed despite one hole behind the road being blocked (Image: Bruno Brown)The hole in the road created by the badgers (Image: Bruno Brown)The sett is cordoned off by the barriers on Hulver Street (Image: Bruno Brown)

A Suffolk Highways spokeswoman said: "The temporary traffic signals are in place to ensure the safety of the travelling members of the public and the badgers.

"We have been working with the relevant authorities to ensure that correct procedures are followed, including applying for a license from Natural England.

"The design is now complete; however, before repairs can begin, badger activity will need to be monitored for a minimum of 21 days.

"We are unable to provide accurate timescales at this stage."

In the chambers inside the sett, the badgers make nests in which they sleep. Periodically, fresh bedding material (typically dry grass, straw, bracken or dead leaves) is collected and dragged into the sett. (Image: Newsquest)

Hulver Street (Image: Bruno Brown)