'Milestone' as bridge installed over canal

The bridge was fixed into place after being lowered by a crane

A bridge has been installed along a Derbyshire canal as part of a multimillion-pound regeneration scheme.

The 38m (125ft) Trans-Pennine Trail Bridge was lowered into position over the Chesterfield Canal in Staveley on Monday.

The Chesterfield Canal Trust, which has been managing the project, said the "impressive landmark" was the first phase of a £6m canal restoration scheme.

The bridge will open to the public before the end of October, the trust said.

The structure has been installed in place of the Great Central Railway bridge that was demolished in 1994.

Two halves of the bridge were welded together and painted after being delivered on 8 October.

Work will continue at the site over the next week

Ivan Fomin, chair of the Staveley Town Deal, which funded the project, said it was a "huge milestone".

"Work to restore the Canal is one of our key projects and will help attract more visitors and improve outdoor facilities for residents," he said.

"There has a been a lot of hard work to get to this point and I want to thank all the staff and volunteers at the trust for their efforts."

Work on the bridge, which will carry the Arkwright Trail and the Trans-Pennine Trail over the waterway, started in April.

The trust says a length of canal will be reinstated under the bridge next year, along with a new lock and another accommodation bridge at the end of Bellhouse Lane.

The towpath will also be upgraded to a multi-user trail, stretching across the Doe Lea Valley to Renishaw.

Wildlife-friendly vegetation will be planted nearby and a seating area will be installed, said the trust.

Rod Auton, publicity officer for the Chesterfield Canal Trust, said: "This is an incredibly important achievement for the trust.

"It proves to our supporters and to potential funders that we can take on huge engineering challenges and bring them to fruition."