Stiffkey Marshes: No date for replacement bridge following rescue

A charity said it did not know when a marshland bridge would be replaced after a couple and their dog got cut off by the tide and blamed its removal for them getting stuck.

A lifeboat rescued them from Stiffkey Marshes, Norfolk, when the pair were unable to cross the creek to the shore.

National Trust removed the bridge in 2022 due to safety issues but said last month it would get rebuilt.

A spokeswoman said it was "progressing with plans to move things forward".

However, she said the charity was unable to give a timescale for when the replacement bridge would be in place.

The dog walkers were rescued from the saltmarsh by the Wells RNLI inshore lifeboat at about 20:15 BST on Saturday.

Writing on social media, they said they had been enjoying a "lovely walk" on the beach before it turned into a "nightmare".

"Getting stuck on the marshes with the tide coming in fast and earlier than actually stated, only to find out we couldn't cross the channel when we got to it due to the removal of the main bridge to get back," they wrote.

"We were very lucky to have a phone and time to get help."

They added they hoped the bridge would be put back in place before anything tragic occurred.

The bridge, near the car park, was dismantled in March last year because of structural concerns and the widening water channel, but it still appears on digital maps.

Following a campaign by local residents and requests by a local MP, the National Trust said it had reviewed its decision not to replace it.

The charity said the new bridge would cost about £250,000 and it had tried to balance the needs of wildlife - in one of Europe's biggest saltmarsh areas - with visitors' health and safety.

In a statement, a spokeswoman said: "We're aware that the RNLI were called out to render assistance to two people cut off by the tide near Stiffkey... and we were pleased to hear that they were safely brought ashore.

"We'd like to remind people to check the tide times before venturing out on to the marshes and to follow signage in the area."

She added the charity's priority was on safety and it would continue to work with the RNLI to make sure it was doing all it could following the incident.

After the rescue, Wells Lifeboat urged people to allow plenty of time to cross the creeks and advised visitors to carry a mobile phone in a waterproof case, and to let friends or family know about their plans.

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