Resurfacing workers who turned up on the wrong day did not let parked cars get in their way - they simply moved the cars to the next street along.

Bemused householders were “disturbed” when resurfacing contractor Kiely Bros started work in Brighton Road, Watford, one day earlier than advertised on Monday morning.

Many residents were unable to move their cars in time or did not answer the workers’ knocks, and so the cars were moved by a truck to nearby Sussex Road.

Wayne Goodwin, contractors manager at Kiely Bros, has since visited every house in the street to apologise with boxes of chocolates – but some neighbours were still “annoyed.”

Gerry O’Shey normally works night shifts and sleeps during the day.

He said the contractors arriving a day early was “disturbing”.

He said: “People sometimes sleep during the day if they work night shifts and so they will have been woken up abruptly when the workers knocked on their doors to tell them to move their cars without any warning.”

Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, believes there should have been better communication from the company.

They said: “It did annoy me on the day as even though they put up signs, they still came a different day.

“However, the company did apologise and came round with a box of chocolates and said sorry, as apparently they only found out last minute too.

“There should have been better communication about the whole thing.”

Another neighbour, who also did not wish to be named, said that although the workers left “fairly quickly”, they are not sure if the work on the road is even complete.

They added: “There needs to be better communication about what is going on. We’re not even sure if the work on the road is finished as there are no yellow lines or markings on the road.

“Will they be coming back? We just do not know.”

Asif Khan, who represents the Leggatts Ward in North Watford, said it was “disgraceful”.

"I managed to expedite the resurfacing after the utter shambles last time and demanded these roads were resurfaced.

“It's disgraceful that they have dealt with residents like this. The incompetence is staggering and it is right they apologised to residents. But it's becoming all too common."

“There are clear failings in the way Conservative led Herts Highways are managing these road resurfacing. They need to get a grip."

People received a letter in the post on Tuesday from Mr Goodwin, admitting it was “totally unacceptable” of the company to turn up unannounced.

He wrote: “I am writing to apologise for the fact that the “no parking signs” we put up had the wrong date on them.

“This was totally unacceptable and did not give you the opportunity to move your cars ahead of time.

“I have been knocking on doors to apologise to as many of you as I could in person but I’m aware that there are many of you I did not manage to speak to so I wanted to write as well.

"Once again, I apologise unreservedly on behalf of Kiely Bros for our mistake and for any inconvenience or distress it may have caused you.”

Hertfordshire County Council cabinet member for Highways, Ralph Sangster, said an “urgent meeting” will now be held with the company.

He said: "I want to apologise, on behalf of the County Council for this appalling service from Kiely Bros.

“It is completely unacceptable. We have summoned Kiely Bros to an urgent meeting during which we will take them to task about this and demand plans and assurances from them that ensure that this does not happen again."