Tadcaster footbridge over Wharfe opens to reunite flood-split town

There was a rush to make the first crossing of the temporary footbridge

A footbridge reuniting a town divided after its road bridge collapsed during flooding has opened.

The 18th Century road bridge over the River Wharfe in Tadcaster is expected to take up to 12-months to repair at a cost of £3m.

It collapsed on 29 December last year, splitting the town in two.

The government provided £300,000 towards the costs of the footbridge, which has been built in sections over the river.

The bridge was formally opened by the chair of North Yorkshire County Council, David Jeffels, and the town's Conservative MP, Nigel Adams.

Repairs to the main road bridge are expected to take up to a year

The men crossed the bridge accompanied by a mother and daughter who live on opposite sides of the river.

Chrissie Wilson, whose home was flooded over Christmas, was crossing the bridge to stay with her mother Babs when it began to collapse.

Miss Wilson said: "We're so proud to be doing this. Mum was born and grew up in Tadcaster and her family goes back 300 years in the town.

"We're just so impressed with the way the town has pulled together through all this and delighted to have a bridge that connects the centre of the town again."

The footbridge in Tadcaster opened to the public at 14:00 GMT

The town's county councillor, Chris Metcalfe, said the opening of the temporary bridge was a chance for the whole town to celebrate.

"Everybody has shown incredible community spirit through these past challenging weeks.

"The county council and its contractors are proud to have met the challenges and completed the footbridge as swiftly as possible so that people and business can get back to some normality," he said.