A section of the main road between Petersfield and Chichester has been closed for the foreseeable future after a house was struck by a lorry.

West Sussex County Council has closed a narrow 100-yard section of the B2146 through South Harting for safety reasons.

A lorry clipped the corner of 1 Brookside Cottage in late June but subsequent surveys by structural engineers have raised concerns about the wall’s stability and risk of falling.

Highway bosses have therefore decided to the close the road between the parish church and Tipper Lane with diversion signs appearing at the latter junction and The Square.

“The situation is complex as the property is a listed building and will require the appropriate permissions to be given before works can commence,” said a spokesperson for Harting Parish Council.

“A lot of work has been underway to try and resolve this as soon as possible, but this could take some months. The road is likely to be closed for several weeks.”

The closure has taken many motorists by surprise with most vehicles using Tipper Lane and Elsted Road to get around the detour.

Neither is suitable for larger vehicles and lorries with residents already voicing concerns about the upturn in traffic and vehicle speeds using the residential roads.

There have also been calls for ‘road closed’ and ‘diversion’ signs to be erected further afield as many motorists arriving in Harting from Petersfield have turned back, not being aware of an alternative route through the village.