Cocker Bridge closure splits Cockermouth in two

Barriers and diversion signs have been put in place

A town has effectively been split in two after a bridge had to be shut after cracks appeared on its road surface.

Cocker Bridge, which links Main Street and Market Place in Cockermouth, Cumbria, was cordoned off on Saturday after the cracks appeared.

Cumbria County Council said divers would be inspecting the bridge's foundations but it was not known how long it would remain shut.

The town was one of the areas hit by flooding during heavy rain last month.

Cockermouth was one of the areas in Cumbria affected by flooding less than a month ago

Andrew Marshall, chairman of Cockermouth Chamber of Trade, said: "It does split the town in half, we have Main Street and then we have Market Place and this bridge joins the two.

"If it's a long-term thing that it's going to be shut then we've got to see if we can work with the council and hopefully get a footbridge to put over the top just as a temporary measure to join the two back up.

"Obviously transport-wise it's not easy because it's the main thoroughfare for school buses and things like that.

"But the bridge has got to be sorted, we've got to think of safety first."

'Safety our priority'

Cumbria County Council said: "Detailed inspection, including by dive teams, is expected on Monday and Tuesday, subject to conditions.

"We understand the inconvenience the closure creates, but public safety has to be our priority."

Keith Little, the councillor responsible for Cumbria's roads and bridge, said that steps had been taken to minimise disruption.

"There's two footbridges on either side, north and south of this bridge, and those are both functioning", he said.

"We've informed the schools and the school transport, so for the next few days they'll transfer to Embleton and come back up.

"And we've got some traffic regulation orders in Cockermouth, we're going to put two-way traffic back on Station Street, so the flow of traffic can hopefully keep going."