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Orwell Bridge photographed during abseiling survey

Charlotte Ball
BBC News, Suffolk
Up and Under Picture looks up at the bridge close to one of the huge concrete pillars holding it up.Up and Under
The bridge is 43m (141ft) tall, and rests on pilings 40m (131ft) deep into the river bed

A well-known landmark bridge has been photographed from different angles as part of an abseiling survey carried out by contractors.

The 41-year-old structure, on the outskirts of Ipswich, has had a midlife health check to inspect the condition of the concrete.

Up and Under Worker is suspended under the carriageway of the bridge, above the ground.Up and Under
This latest survey is routine and carried out every six years

National Highways contractors scaled the equivalent of four miles (six km) while the pictures were captured.

The bridge spans the Orwell Estuary and was constructed between 1979 and 1982.

Up and Under Picture looks down on a workman abseiling high above the ground, suspended from the bridge.Up and Under
Abseilers scaled the equivalent of four miles to complete the survey

The main arch is 190m (623ft) long, which, at the time of its construction, was the largest of its kind in use.

It rests on 40m (131ft) of pilings into the river bottom and is 43m (141ft) tall.

Up and Under Photograph from a distance of the entire Orwell Bridge.Up and Under
At time of construction, the bridge was the longest of its kind in use

Work on the survey began in August, during most of which the bridge did not need to be closed, avoiding any disruption.

The final phase took place overnight for two weeks, where one carriageway was closed at a time, and was completed in the early hours of Saturday.

Up and Under A photograph looking up at one of the pillars, with two contractors abseiling.Up and Under
The survey was originally pushed back to avoid disturbing nesting falcons, who had made their home on the bridge earlier in the year
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