'Dust from relief road work created a mud bath'

People living close to the North Hykeham Relief Road project say dust is entering homes, with one resident claiming it had caused a "mud bath".

The five-mile (8km) dual carriageway near Grantham Road, Waddington, will complete a loop around Lincoln by connecting the A15 and A46.

Philip Wood, one of several residents to complain about the dust problem, said: "It was like a mud bath in the bathroom when we came back home from holiday because the vents had been open... We can't be living with this."

Lincolnshire County Council, funding the project, said "recent conditions have created particular challenges". It added contractor Balfour Beatty would install a 20ft-high (6m) barrier to contain dust.

Wood, who lives off Grantham Road, said the dust had been worse recently due to the hot weather.

"If you try to sit outside, you get dust in your eyes," he said. "The furniture gets covered in dust, and windows get dirty again as soon as they've been cleaned."

In an attempt to control the amount of dust spreading from the site, Balfour Beatty had been spraying water to keep the ground damp.

Daniel Cooper, who lives nearby, described the dust problem as "absolutely dreadful".

He said he was planning on moving away over concerns for his young children's health.

Cooper told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Our two-year-old daughter has been coughing and wheezing for weeks with numerous chest infections and several courses of antibiotics.

"We've got to put the kids first. Our home isn't even particularly close to the site but it seems to get everywhere."

Helen, who lives closer to the site, added: "We're living with a massive mound of dirt opposite our house, and it gets on floors, windowsills and tables. Even when windows are shut, it comes in."

Sam Edwards, head of highways and economic infrastructure at Lincolnshire County Council, said the dry weather was not helping.

He said: "The combination of prolonged dry weather, exposed ground and the type of material being excavated means dust is being generated more easily than normal."

Edwards said the new barrier would help contain dust and include "misting curtains" to trap airborne particles.

He said the site team would continue to monitor dust levels and take further action if required.

Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North.

Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices