CONCERNS have been raised about the poor state of Sabrina Bridge - although the council has said it hopes to announce when a 'major refurbishment' programme will go ahead soon.

Danny Brothwell, chairman of the Bike Worcester campaign group, said he feared that if something isn’t done soon the footbridge may have to be closed off completed.

However, Worcestershire County Council, who maintain the bridge, say minor repairs are ongoing ahead of a major restoration project that could happen soon.

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Workers from Ringway, that provides the authority’s highway maintenance, have been at the bridge in recent days with areas coned off while work is carried out.

But Mr Brothwell, who cycles across the bridge regularly, said this showed it has fallen into a bad state of repair.

Mr Brothwell said: “There’s an area currently coned off - presumably a hole - and lots of loose or deteriorating boards, with another notably lower than the others looking like it may soon break.

“It is a bit like when you get a pot hole in the road, it can deteriorate quite quickly.

“I think, at this stage, the bridge itself is in a poor state. It is an issue with long term maintenance really.

“I would hate for it to be that someone has to take a decision it is not safe to go over.

“If it had to close for a month, something like that - that would be terrible.”

In January 2019, a plan to refurbish the bridge was announced, with part of £4 million county council funding to be used to carry out the scheme.

At the time no specific details were announced by the authority, but the original plan was for the refurbishment to take place in 2019.

A spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council said: “Sabrina Bridge is inspected on a regular basis and some minor repairs will be carried out in the next few weeks.

“The bridge is scheduled to undergo a major refurbishment programme which will be a significant undertaking and the dates for this will be announced soon.”

The spokesman added that short term repairs were carried out and completed on Thursday, ( June 18).