RESIDENTS had the first look at Beaminster Tunnel when it re-opened more than a year after it collapsed and claimed the lives of two people.

They joined Dorset County Council ward member Rebecca Knox to walk through the tunnel following a £2.1 million council repair project, lasting nearly 13 months.

A small queue of traffic built up as motorists waited to pass through the tunnel on the A3066 for the first time since July 7 2012, when the tunnel collapsed after a deluge of torrential rain.

Rosemary Snell, 62, from Misterton, and Michael Rolfe, 72, from Fivehead, died when the car they were travelling in was engulfed by a mudslide.

The community was left shell-shocked after their bodies were found ten days later in a car crushed under hundreds of tonnes of mud, brick and debris.

Maggie Warnett, 69, president of Beaminster WI, who lives close to the north side of the tunnel, was there to see the re-opening.

She said: “It was a terrible thing to happen and it has taken a long time to move forward from this tragedy, which we will never forget.

“The guys have worked tirelessly to get the work done and I'm ecstatic to see the tunnel open again.”

The tunnel and road were due to re-open at the end of May but were hit by a series of delays.

Although the road is re-open to two-way traffic, temporary traffic signals may be used to allow the contractors to finish off work at non-peak times.

Councillor Knox said she hopes the re-opening gives trade a boost in Beaminster, after months of traffic diversions in place.

She said: “This is the news I wanted to give residents a year ago.

“The tragedy from the collapse was a very sad time and when the tunnel closed I don't think anyone realised how much needed to be done.

“It's good for the local community, who can get back to using the route they used to get to work, to school and to shop.”

Mike Harden, group manager for Dorset County Council, said 1,000 soil nails have stabilised the tunnel.

He said: “We had to come up with a solution that will last the period of time.”

Beaminster resident Douglas Beazer, 65, has taken more than 1,000 pictures of the tunnel throughout the repair project, which will go on display in Beaminster Museum.

He said: “I'm very pleased the town and locality can get back to normal.

“But we still have to remember what happened. It's nice to have a low-key opening with no big ceremony and get that traffic back into town.”

Businesses

BUSINESSES based around Beaminster Square welcomed the re-opening.

Steve Stanners, proprietor of Steak Out, said he had diversified his tea rooms business into a steak house three nights a week to cope with losing trade.

He said: “This has been a long time coming. I still think it shouldn't have taken a year.

“I'm hoping we will get more people coming back from Somerset who haven't been able to get here with the tunnel shut.”

Isabelle Maling, of Nessie's Yarns and Crafts, said: “Councillor Knox has really got on the tail of the council and without her I think we would still be waiting now to see it open.

“It's only just opened and trade is good for a Monday morning.”