A BUSY road through the centre of Southampton is finally set to reopen this afternoon, it has been revealed.

Drivers have faced a week of delays since rubble and concrete came crashing down from the derelict six-storey Grosvenor House office block, which was being knocked down.

Cumberland Place was closed immediately after the collapse on Monday, and Southampton City Council has kept the diversions in place since to allow contractors to safely continue with the demolition.

But contractors say the road will reopen from 4pm today once the area is made safe.

They had initially expected the road to be closed until Monday.

The closure has caused misery for thousands of motorists snaking their way through residential streets in The Polygon area, along Devonshire Road and Henstead Road, to Bedford Place, with delays especially bad during the rush hours.

The Health and Safety Executive has launched an investigation into what caused the collapse, which happened shortly before workers from nearby shops and businesses were going on their lunch breaks.