Marks and Spencer will beat Tesco to opening a food store in Gerrards Cross, it was confirmed this week.

Tesco had to put its plans on hold after a tunnel collapsed beneath the site of its proposed store last July.

But now M&S has said it will be opening a Simply Food store in Gerrards Cross this autumn. A spokeswoman said: "We are opening a 4,000 sq ft Simply Food store in Gerrards Cross sometime in September."

There is still local anger surrounding the tunnel collapse. Earlier this month residents held a protest to mark the first anniversary of the incident, while Tesco displayed a sign at the site apologising for ongoing disruption. The development is on hold while Tesco awaits an engineer's report.

A spokeswoman for Gerrards Cross Parish Council said residents would welcome M&S.

However, a group of pensioners has launched a campaign in favour of the Tesco project because, they say, it will provide them with affordable food.