A DRIVER who hit a Grade II listed bridge and drove off without reporting the damage has left a charity with a £15,000 repair bill.

Canal and River Trust has been left counting the cost after the vehicle is believed to have hit the Tibberton Bridge at some point on Friday causing brickwork at the top to become dislodged.

Emergency repair works now must take place and have led to the bridge on Plough Lane being closed off to traffic until Thursday, September 10.

Nick Worthington, waterway manager at the Canal and River Trust, said they were "hugely disappointed" with the repair bill looking likely to be about £15,000.

"It’s hugely disappointing when this kind of thing happens.

"Not only is there damage to a listed structure, but we’re left with a large repair bill that, as we’re a charity, takes away from other important work we need to be doing.

"We’d ask everyone to please, please take care when using these historic bridges.

"At the end of the day, they’re our heritage, and if we don’t take care of them we risk losing them forever.”

The bridge over the Worcester to Birmingham canal is thought to have been built at some point between the early to mid 19th Century.