Villagers protest over rail work

About 120 people have staged a protest about plans to carry out repairs to a railway line which they say will effectively close their village.

Network Rail says it needs 16 weeks to upgrade an area of track close to Whitacre Heath, near Coleshill, Warwickshire.

The work will cause a bridge and a main road into the village to be closed.

Saturday morning's demonstration saw villagers walk about two miles to the affected bridge on Station Road.

Compensation request

The march began on the Coton Road Bridge at about 1000 GMT.

Village sub-postmaster Peter Wright told BBC News Online that the diversions put in place as a result of the work would hit him financially.

"I rely on passing trade and nobody's going to divert five-and-a-half-miles to come to the village.

"I'd like Network Rail to come and talk to us about cutting the time down, or talk to businesses in the village about compensation."

Mr Wright said at a meeting with Network Rail, the company said it would refer the matter to its legal team.

The work is scheduled to begin on 12 April.