Ancient bridge to close for five days for repairs

An ancient bridge that was damaged in a crash will close for five days for repairs.

About 32.8ft (10m) of heritage stonework was knocked into the river below Nether Bridge in Kendal when a car struck it in June, with a man arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving soon after.

The bridge will be closed to all vehicles until Friday at the latest to allow the section of the southern parapet wall to be rebuilt.

Westmorland and Furness Council said the original stonework recovered from the river would be used, supplemented by locally sourced stone where necessary.

A signed diversion route will be in place via Romney Bridge and Milnthorpe Road during the closure.

Additional signage will also prevent HGVs from using Parkside Road due to the height restriction at the railway bridge.

Pedestrians and cyclists will be able to access the bridge throughout the works via the northern footway.

Nether Bridge is a Scheduled Ancient Monument spanning the River Kent, which is designated as both a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation.

Repairs would be undertaken using traditional lime mortar to preserve the bridge's character, the council said.

The local authority previously said it could take "a number of months" to fully repair.

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