COLD weather has been blamed for a new road surface branded as “absolutely deadly" which will have to be relaid.

The A134 at Great Horkesley has been covered in stone chippings as part of resurfacing by Essex Highways.

But residents said the surface was creating huge dust clouds and the stones were flying everywhere.

Essex Highways apologised after it was found the resurfacing had failed and launched an investigation into what had gone wrong.

Despairing residents said more than a week on the road was no better.

There have also been problems with resurfacing in Lexden Road and Circular Road South in Colchester.

Johnny Eggleton, 61, of Great Horkesley, said he would now be contacting his MP Bernard Jenkin.

"We have been living with it for two weeks now," he said. "It is so dangerous."

Surface dressing takes place during the spring and summer months as it is sensitive to weather that is too cold, hot or wet.

A spokesman for Essex Highways said: “We are very sorry that drivers and local residents have been inconvenienced by the Surface Dressing work on the A134.

"We are urgently investigating what went wrong with this particular operation, initial findings suggest in the slightly colder weather the bitumen “binder” coat may have set too quickly to allow the stones to bed in.”

Kevin Bentley, infrastructure boss, added: “I’m very sorry about it, we have done hundreds of miles of surface dressing to very good effect, but in these few places just recently it has not worked properly.

"I will make sure it is quickly re-done and not at the taxpayer’s expense.

"We continue to sweep the road to remove stones as best we can as they work loose. I would ask drivers please to stick to the speed limit of 20mph on the signs because if you do so the problems are much reduced.”