'Lifeline' bridge first built by military reopens

The footbridge had been a popular crossing loved by walkers, climbers and locals, the Peak District National Park Authority said

A footbridge in the Peak District hailed as a "lifeline" has been reinstated after it fell into disrepair in 2020.

The crossing over the River Wye at Cressbrook linked a number of villages with the Monsal Trail, and was originally installed by the military in the 1980s before it became popular with walkers and locals.

Its closure in 2020 prompted a huge fundraising effort with the scheme to replace the bridge also being supporting by the Peak District National Park Foundation and other organisations.

On Monday, after almost five years, a new structure officially reopened, with some of those involved in local fundraising among the first to cross it.

The original 60ft (20m) wooden structure was replaced with a bridge made from a material which used more than 26,000 recycled plastic bottles to build, the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNA) said.

The main part of the bridge had to be hoisted into place by a 100-tonne crane

According to the authority, the new structure has an expected lifespan of 120 years.

Phil Mulligan, chief executive of the authority, said it was "certainly a day to celebrate" as the bridge reopened.

"This modest but much-loved crossing will now have a remarkable, multi-generational lifespan and my thanks to all those involved for making it happen.

"I can't wait to step across," he said.

The general public managed to raise £14,000 towards the total £190,000 bill.

A £20,000 grant was contributed to the project by the authority while £50,000 was raised by the foundation, £10,000 from the British Mountaineering Council and £120,000 was made available from the government's Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, the PDNA said.