There’s a scene in The Italian Job where Benny Hill swaps one of those old computer tapes in Turin’s traffic control centre for another, causing chaos on the streets while the Brits get away with the stolen gold.

Cut to East Tynedale where, instead of Benny Hill, we have Gateshead Council on one side starting work this week to build a new roundabout on the A695 between Prudhoe and Crawcrook.

The work is expected to last 16 weeks on this busy main route

It has already caused some disruption, but that’s to be expected with any roadworks.

However, on the other side we have Northumberland County Council which has decided to close one of the bridges over the River Tyne – at Ovingham – for three weeks from next Monday.

And one of the diversions the council has come up with is to send traffic towards the roadworks at Crawcrook.

And all this is happening at the height of the summer holidays.

There can only be one logical explanation.

Someone called Michael Caine working at one of the councils has said: “Hang on a minute lads; I’ve got a great idea.”