Road works due to go on until 4am outside homes in Friern Barnet will cause misery for people living there, according to a mother-of-two.

Marcia Diamond was “shocked” when a letter arrived from Barnet Council warning that early hours road resurfacing will begin in Friern Barnet Lane from next week.

The work will take place between Myddleton Park and High Road from 7pm until 4am for at least five days from Monday.

Mrs Diamond, 54, believes the hours are unfair on neighbours.

She said: “I’m not just complaining and moaning about nothing. I looked at it and thought ‘you’re having a laugh’. My first reaction was that it can’t be legal.

“If it is emergency road works then fine but this is not. I think they must just have a bit of money left in the budget – it doesn’t even need doing.”

Swimming teacher Mrs Diamond is worried the extensive works will disrupt the education of her 14 and 16-year-old daughters, who have begun studying GCSEs and A-levels, as well as her own job.

“How dare they keep my children up when they’re in a vital time of their education. They’re going to have five days with no sleep – it’s insanity.

“I’m responsible for up to 20 children every day and there’s a possibility I won’t have had any sleep. They said they have done a risk assessment but where is the risk assessment for the residents?”

Barnet Council says noisy operations will cease at 11pm but lights will be left on while other work is carried out until the early hours.

Jewish New Year takes place on Sunday night, Monday and Tuesday and Mrs Diamond, who is Jewish herself, says she does not want the disruption spoiling her celebrations.

She added:  “I’m only asking them to be reasonable. Just stop at a sensible time. Even if they went on until 11pm we could deal with it.

“It is council arrogance. They must know they’re in the wrong but the attitude seems to be that there’s nothing anyone can do to stop them so they might as well go ahead.”

A council spokesperson said in a statement: “Every effort was made to carry out these works during the day, however, as the road is on a major bus route, London Buses requested that the council carryout the resurfacing overnight to minimise disruption to the road network.

“We have agreed with the contractor that they will stop noisy operation by 11.00pm and will only continue with other quieter works such as laying materials and rolling overnight. Our Environmental Health Team will monitor the situation and all local residents have been notified of the works.”