ENGINEERS are working against the clock to re-open one of Hampshire's busiest roads that has been closed for more than a week due to flooding.

The county council is hoping to complete emergency work to the A31 at Ropley by this afternoon, in time for Christmas.

Pumps were put into position last week to stem the tide of rising groundwater and although engineers have managed to prevent floodwater rising any higher, water levels will continue to stay high for the foreseeable future.

A new surface has since been built over the pipes to raise the surface of the road over the floodwaters.

The council is also looking at the possibility of using temporary engineering solutions to enable other closed roads to be re-opened as quickly as possible, including the A32, the A272 and the A338.

More than 30 roads across the county are currently still closed because of flooding, while many others are only passable with care.

Dozens of roads are now beginning to show the signs of damage from the floods, with potholes posing an added risk to drivers.

The council fears it will face a massive repair bill, on top of the £1m it has already spent on trying to cope with immediate flooding problems. It has warned that cash set aside for longer-term maintenance of roads will have to be used for "patch-up" repairs.