WORK has started to improve a River Calder footbridge.

Contractors working on behalf of Lancashire County Council's bridges section are updating the bridge which crosses the river between Ightenhill Park Lane, next to Pendle Hall Farm, Burnley, and Grove Lane, in Padiham, and is used by walkers, cyclists and horses.

The programme to renovate the bridge has been brought forward to coincide with £100,000 in outside funding which will allow it to be widened and upgraded to full bridleway standards.

Michael Darbyshire, of Burnley Council's engineers unit, said: "This is the icing on the cake because a lot of work has been carried out in the last few years by Burnley Council, the Forest of Burnley scheme and the county council in creating this cycle path and bridleway between Padiham and Ightenhill.

"The footbridge will allow a safer route for cyclists between Padiham and Burnley centres without having to use major roads and will be easily accessible for pushchairs and disabled scooters.

"It will also allow horse riders to cross safely and many thanks must go to the county council's project managers, financial contributors, the Forest of Burnley, and the various landowners along the route without whose co-operation the work wouldn't have happened."

Contributions and donations have also been received from several organisations including Lancashire Environment Fund, Sustrans, EB Nationwide Ltd and the Lancashire Small Sites Initiative. The Millennium Commission and Elwood (East Lancashire Woodlands) have also funded improvements to the surrounding area.

Contractors will be on site until September. The bridge and public footpaths adjacent to the work will be kept open when possible, but the bridge will have to be closed while the existing decks are removed, the centre pier modified and new decks installed.

A temporary closure is expected to be in force from late June for up to three months.