Benfleet-based Unidig had worked on Morgan Sindall’s £4m leisure centre contract on Canvey Island, refurbishing and extending an all-weather football pitch.

But specialist pitch package contractor A P Thompson who hired Unidig went into administration leaving Ron Downs, director of Unidig, out of pocket to the tune of £12,000.

Downs said after contacting both council and main contractor it looked unlikely he would see the cash he was owed for work at the Waterside Farm leisure centre.

So Downs returned to the site with his staff and started to dig up the tarmac and 300 kerbs they had installed.

“All the materials and workmanship belongs to me,” Downs told the BBC. “I can’t go to my supplier and ask him for any more kerbs because I haven’t paid him.

“I need the materials at Waterside to go do a job I’m going to get paid for.

“I’ve got a mortgage, a wife and kids, I can’t carry on like this.”

A spokeswoman for Castle Point Council said: “We became aware once the company had gone into administration, but we had no prior knowledge.

“Our contract is with Morgan Sindall, how the works are completed is a matter for them to decide. There are penalty clauses in our contract with Morgan Sindall if this phase of the works overrun.”