A LACK of electricity is the latest in a series of delays that have held up the opening of a controversial new Tesco Express store.

The branch in Wanstead High Street was due to open today (Wednesday) but the absence of a power supply at the site has pushed this back again until Saturday December 19 - more than a year since the supermarket giant first bought it from Woolworths.

Despite the confusion, opponents of the store have vowed to fight on in their battle to prevent the store 'destroying' local businesses by mounting a demonstration outside the site on Saturday - calling on shoppers to boycott its goods in favour of the area's independent traders.

Ashley Gunstock, of Cranbourne Avenue, who has helped lead the boycott campaign said: "Members of the Greens will be there along with other members of the community to call on people to back our local traders.

"Independent shops are having a hard enough time as it is at the moment without this impacting on them too.

"We have enough Tesco's in this area already without yet another store opening up right in the heart of our community.

"The store may be opening, but we will not give up our campaign to promote the interests of our local shops."

A spokeswoman for Tesco - which presented a cheque for £500 to Wanstead Church School on Wednesday - said: "Unfortunately the site had no power so we had to apply for a new connection, which we anticipated would have been available by now.

"Regrettably this was not the case so we had no choice but to put back the opening.

"However, we have been told this will be rectified shortly and we hope to open on Saturday December 19.

"We would like to apologise for any inconvenience this has caused".