A WREXHAM county councillor has expressed his fury over reports Virgin Media workers have been door-knocking residents despite social distancing guidance.

Cllr Andrew Atkinson, county councillor for Gresford, has written to the company - which is undertaking work in the area - over the issue that sees workers allegedly knocking on residents' doors and asking them to move their cars.

In a post on a Gresford community Facebook site, Cllr Atkinson said he had been "battling this situation for days."

He said: "I'm getting numerous residents in touch about Virgin Media and the fact they're still working and knocking doors to ask residents to move cars.

"Apparently legally they're allowed to continue as they're an essential service which is crazy to me as we all have the service already with a different provider.

"I've asked at the highest level that they're kept in check about working practices and door knocking, etc., and that they stay away from residents and their properties."

On Tuesday, Cllr Atkinson posted on the site saying he had emailed Virgin Media about the ongoing problem and also criticised the state its workers had allegedly left some of the roads in.

Posting a copy of an email he sent to the company, he said: " I am not interested in your toolbox talks, staff chats, morning briefings, round robin emails or any other discussions and gentle reprimands you may want to put in place.

"I’m only interested in keeping my residents safe and you keeping your workmen safe which in turn keeps our NHS safe and therefore every one of us.

"If your men don’t listen to you about their own safety then I can only assume they don’t listen about my residents' safety either, and will carry on knocking on doors and waiting closely by it to ask my residents to move cars etc.

"You’ve also left a dreadful state in Newtown and Pant Olwen with boards abandoned all over the pavements showing a further blatant disregard for the health and safety of my residents."

A Virgin Media spokesman said: “The government has been clear that outdoor network maintenance and construction can continue.

"Our network is critical national infrastructure that keeps people and businesses connected in these difficult times.

“We have reminded the local work crew in question to adhere to the strict social distancing policies and follow safety and hygiene advice.

"As part of our continued network expansion, we continue to keep in close contact with local authorities and communicate directly to residents in areas where we are carrying out work.”