A PONTYPOOL community leader vented her frustration after Pontypool Indoor Market was affected by leaks - despite undergoing a revamp costing £2.3 million.

Bosses at the market were forced to call in engineers this week after the situation forced one trader to move some of his stock.

Torfaen council insisted the stock was not soiled and that trading at the Victorian market continued as normal.

The Met Office issued a flood warning for South Wales this week, including Torfaen.

Pontypool Community Council chairwoman Gaynor James has a baby clothes shop at the market called Individuality.

The market trader said: “It leaked before and it’s still leaking.

“It is ridiculous.

“When they were doing the majority of the works at the market the weather was really good.

“I just hope they can get somebody on the roof, find out what it is and correct it.”

The Grade-II listed market has undergone a extensive modernisation programme set to be completed either by Christmas or early next year, in a bid to attract more customers to the area.

Torfaen council understands the leaks were caused by a failed gutter and a faulty downpipe.

A spokesman indicated that speculation metal thieves may have caused the leaks were “unfounded”, with lead from the roof replaced by aluminium two years ago.

Shoppers have also had to deal with blocked toilets at the market on and off for several weeks.

Torfaen council opposition leader, Cllr Liz Haynes, said yesterday [November 11]: “I'm disgusted but feel really sorry for the traders in the indoor market.

“Traders there have had to put up with months of disruption and some loss of trade.

“Yet they have to now put up with blocked toilets and floods. This is not acceptable.

“Now they have to put up with water cascading down the walls in the run up to what should be their busiest time of the year.”

A Torfaen council spokesman said: “A leak has been identified in a section of Mogford’s arcade - contractors have attended the site and the cause is a failed valley gutter which is being rectified as a matter of urgency.

“Only one stall, which is currently unoccupied, has been affected and no traders have had to move from their stalls.

“We also had an issue with a faulty downpipe which caused a minor leak elsewhere in the market and has now been fixed.”

The spokesman confirmed there had been an "issue with blocked toilets" for a few weeks adding workers were investigating solutions to ensure it did not become a regular occurrence.