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Start date for replacement at Pooley Bridge

Cumbria County Council Pooley Bridge designCumbria County Council
The final cost of the new bridge is estimated at £5m

Work to replace a 300-year-old bridge swept away by Storm Desmond should start in May.

A temporary structure was built across the River Eamont at Pooley Bridge after the original 18th Century stone bridge was washed away in December 2015.

Cumbria County Council said it had awarded a contract to an engineering firm to work on the permanent replacement.

It is expected to be completed in the first half of 2020.

PA Pooley Bridge in Ullswater, CumbriaPA
The original three arch bridge was built in 1764

Councillor Keith Little, cabinet member for highways and transport, described the single arch design as "outstanding".

He said: "All work to date [and] the timescale has taken account of local feedback. We have specifically avoided disruption in their peak tourism season."

Diane Bourne, from Eric Wright Civil Engineering, said: "We will ensure that the new Pooley Bridge not only provides resilience against extreme bad weather in the future, but that it continues to connect the community for generations to come."

Temporary Pooley Bridge
A temporary bridge has been in place since 2016