BUSINESSES already badly-hit by the foot and mouth crisis say they are facing another blow due to a planned road closure for the next two weeks.

Lancashire County Council will close the A682 for work to repair a collapsed culvert in Blacko from today.

The closure, coming so soon after the devastating effects of the foot and mouth crisis in the area, could spell disaster by preventing passing trade for 14 days.

Traders are issuing an urgent plea to customers to remind them that they are still open for business during the closure and signs are due to be put up by the council.

Jean Lord, owner of Blacko post office and village stores, said the closure could seriously damage her trade.

She said: "We were badly affected by the restrictions on transportation during the foot and mouth epidemic and unless some sort of information is put out that we are still open while the road is closed, we are going to suffer what could be crippling losses."

Mrs Lord, who estimates she lost up to 20 per cent of her trade during the foot and mouth crisis, had recently turned to selling specialist handcrafted cards as a way of boosting trade in the wake of the crisis.

She said: "The footpaths have only recently reopened as people start to come back to the area. But we are pretty much reliant on passing traffic and, without it, it could be very bad for us."

Barbara Shoesmith, of the Moorcock Inn in Gisburn Road, said: "We are very worried that it will affect us. I think it will certainly hit our turnover because there just won't be the passing trade."

The temporary road closure affects the A682 Gisburn Road, Middop, from its junction with the A59 trunk road, where it is known as Main Street to its junction with B6247 Colne Road, covering 11kms.

The closure will be in operation from 9am today to 5pm on Monday, April 29.

A spokesman for the county council said: "It has been necessary to close such a length of the A682 because there are no appropriate diversionary routes closer to the culvert."

He said the alternative route for traffic was as follows: A59 Skipton Road- B6251 Bracewell Lane - B6383 Kelbrook Road - A56 Colne Road - A56 Skipton New Road - U20850 Langroyd Road - A6068 North Valley Road -A6068 Vivary Way - B6247 Barrowford Road - B6247 Colne Road.