New £1.8m Lossiemouth bridge reopens beach access

A ceremony was held on Tuesday to mark the opening

A long-awaited replacement Lossiemouth beach bridge has been opened.

The footbridge to East Beach in the Moray town was closed in July 2019 after structural engineers ruled it unsafe.

Moray Council approved a £1.8m replacement, and the opening has ended three years of limited access to the popular beach.

The new bridge was funded by the Scottish government but will be maintained by the council.

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The original bridge was more than 100 years old.

It is hoped the new one will see a boost to visitor numbers and the local economy in time for the summer season.

The previous bridge had to close in 2019

Mairi Gougeon, cabinet secretary for rural affairs and islands, opened the bridge on Tuesday. The event was attended by local school pupils.

Moray Council convener Marc Macrae said: "I know how excited locals and visitors alike are at regaining access to the East Beach and I look forward to seeing everyone enjoying it this summer."

The new bridge span is about 75m (246ft),