Building work on a new housing development in Soham has made a road access into allotments so muddy that gardeners cannot get to their patch of land.

David Newman said the work is planned for three weeks but feared the mud would take much longer to clear and in that time people who rent the plots will struggle to bring equipment onto the allotments at Millcroft.

“It is coming into growing season and gardeners have a lot to do,” said Mr Newman.

“I need to get a rotavator down there to get potatoes in, but that is not going to happen.”

There are about 20 allotments behind the cemetery which are now blocked for vehicle access by the muddy road, he said.

And although people could “just about walk through the mud”, for those wishing to take equipment down or with limited mobility, it is impossible to do so, he added.

Mr Newman added that Soham Town Council were unable to solve the problem as the land is owned by Cambridge University.

Allotment owners pay £15 a year rent to them, via the town council, he said.