AN IRATE newsagent has hit out at a gas company after he claims he lost business when they dug up the driveway to his shop and blocked it off following a gas leak.

Harish Patel says Transco left the driveway to his business car park strewn with rubble and blocked off with cones for more than two weeks.

Mr Patel, who owns Jaydees Newsagent, in Marlow Road, High Wycombe, says that Transco visited the site on December 19, and dug up the entrance to the parade of shops to investigate a gas leak which they fixed, but then failed to clear the driveway.

He said: "This is really damaging business.

"People are going to the Shell garage over the road to get their stuff instead."

Mr Patel added: "It is just not good enough. What frustrates me is that no-one has come back and told us what is happening.

"If we knew what they are doing about it then that would be different."

A spokesman from Transco said: "We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused to the shopkeepers.

"The reason we made the hole in the first place was because of a gas leak.

"Reinstatement work was started on January 2 to solve the problem, which was the first day back after Christmas."