Creaking Twin Sails bridge repair set for December

The Twin Sails bridge has been raised since 26 August

Long-awaited repairs to Poole's Twin Sails Bridge will begin in the coming months once specialist materials arrive, a council has said.

The lifting bridge, which connects Poole and Hamworthy across a busy boating channel, has remained raised since 26 August due to "abnormal creaking sounds" detected by engineers.

Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council said its team was carrying out as much preparatory work as possible ahead of the arrival of the required parts, expected in December.

The local authority said the work, funded by the Community Infrastructure Levy, would "see changes made to the lifting mechanism to improve reliability".

BCP Council said it understood how "frustrating" the closure had been for residents.

"...earlier this year, councillors approved [£6m] of funding for a long-term solution to the existing reliability issues, and this strategic work continues in parallel to the immediate repairs," it added.

The bridge, which opened in 2012, as well as the nearby Poole Bridge allows drivers to avoid a six-mile detour and enable boats to pass between Holes Bay and Poole Bay.

Last year, the Twin Sails crossing remained closed for almost three months after a fault was found during an inspection in mid-May.