Repair work on homes on a troubled Billericay estate is still outstanding, despite a pledge by housing bosses it would be finished by Christmas.

Builders moved on to the Queens Park estate in April when residents complained about the ailing state of the housing stock.

But despite a string of delays, which has seen tenants shifted from their homes to temporary accommodation, landlord the Guinness Trust has revealed repairs are still outstanding on two houses. News of the delay will come as a blow to the residents who have now waited eight months to see problems fixed from cracked walls to blocked drains.

Despite this Philip Sullivan, from the trust, said he was happy with the pace of the repair work and promised it would be completed by the end of February.

Delays were caused because of a lack of temporary accommodation in which to house residents while work was carried out. Mr Sullivan said work had been held up for the Christmas break.

The trust set aside a fighting fund of £2m to pay for work on 84 properties on the estate. Eighty-two are now finished.

Published Thursday December 27, 2001