Footbridge campaign will continue, protesters say

Villagers gathered at the bridge on Thursday morning

A campaign to save a "much loved" footbridge from being removed will continue, residents of a New Forest village have pledged.

The concrete bridge crosses a small stream near Martins Road, Brockenhurst, and is used by walkers and livestock to access open land in the forest outside the village.

Resident Mike James chained himself to it on Wednesday as contractors moved in to demolish it. Others gathered alongside safety barriers again on Thursday.

Forestry England (FE) said it was pausing the work for safety reasons as a result. It had planned to remove the 70-year-old bridge, saying its condition was "deteriorating".

Mike James chained himself to the bridge as demolition work was due to begin

Metal barriers were put in place earlier this week and the bridge's handrail was removed.

About a dozen people gathered at the site when contractors arrived with a bulldozer to remove it on Wednesday morning.

However, work was halted when Mr James attached himself to the structure with a steel cord and padlock.

He later removed himself when the contractors left for the day.

Forestry England said repairing the bridge was "not feasible" because of the impact on the habitat

Residents said the alternative crossing recommended by FE is along a road with no pavement or street lighting and thick brambles making it unsuitable and unsafe.

Campaigner Hannah Foster said residents would be "making their presence known" at the site.

"We're going to continue to campaign to keep it here until they've had a proper discussion," she said.

Fiona Long was among those gathered on Thursday morning.

"People are so upset - it's sentimental as well as practical - people have childhood memories and it means so much to access the forest without having to walk along the blind bend."

Chris Lawrence said: "What we want is the bridge to be restored - it's an important path from the village into the forest.

"We want FE to provide a safe crossing for the stream. This is a relatively simple problem that has been made contentious and complicated."

Villagers gathered to protest when contractors arrived to remove the bridge on Wednesday

FE said on Wednesday work had been "paused in interest of safety while someone is on the bridge".

It previously explained: "We appreciate that this footbridge is a much-loved feature of the local landscape.

"However, its design and structure no longer meet modern safety standards, and recent assessments by civil engineers show that it's deteriorating further."

It said it had addressed concerns about the alternative route by cutting back vegetation to create a "clear view to see along the road".

The bridge could not be replaced or upgraded because of environmental protections in place on the area, it added.

FE has not yet commented on how it will proceed with the plans.

Russell Horne, chair of Brockenhurst Parish Council, told the BBC it had to abide by the decision of FE surveyors who said the structure was not safe.

He acknowledged residents were "very upset".

"We obviously appreciate the villagers' wish to go over the bridge - which they've done for many years - but it is up to Forestry England to decide what they do. We can't overrule that," he added.