Kendal footbridge opens seven years after Storm Desmond

A new footbridge has opened seven years after the old one was damaged in a storm.

The new £2m Gooseholme Bridge was put in place over the River Kent in Kendal, in the Lake District, in July.

The structure - which weighs 55 tonnes and spans 42m (138ft) - was officially opened by Tim Farron, Westmorland and Lonsdale's Liberal Democrat MP.

It is one of 500 bridges which were repaired or replaced after Storm Desmond hit the county in 2015.

The bridge also repairs an important link for National Cycle Route 6 between Lancaster and Carlisle.

Keith Little, Cumbria County Council cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "The bridge opening is a significant milestone in reconnecting the local community with parts of Kendal and the park.

"It is an impressive new bridge structure which will last for many years to come.

"This single span bridge that will be fully accessible to all bridge users, providing shared access for pedestrians, cyclists, and wheelchair users."

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