A £110 million pre-Christmas gift which Newton Abbot and most of south Devon has been itching to receive for more than 60 years will be unwrapped in the very near future – under the veil of darkness and without any trumpet fanfare.

At long last, the 5.5km South Devon Link Road will soon cruise into life and bring much seasonal cheer to the 35,000 misery-tolerant motorists who suffer daily snarl-ups at Penn Inn and crowded-out Kingskerswell.

The exact day of the ‘imminent’ opening is - like the true identity of Father Christmas – a preciously guarded secret.

Builders and backers of the project are deliberately withholding the time and date on health and safety grounds.

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