RESIDENTS living near the closed Shaw Street canal bridge are bewildered that repairs to fix it could take months.

The footbridge across Lancaster Canal near Bath Mill has been closed after the council said they could not guarantee public safety.

But despite cordoning it off, some members of the public are still using it and children have been seen edging their way across the outside of the bridge.

Elderly residents claim the closure is "making life difficult" and the neighbourhood say they can't understand why the bridge will be closed for up to two months.

"Why can't they just repair it and get it open again," said one local pensioner. "I live in Bath Mill and I walk using a stick. I used to go across the bridge to get to Sainsburys but now it takes me ages and I have to go up and down a steep hill. I've heard that it could be months before they open it again - there's nothing much wrong with it."

Freehold resident, John Whitelegg, was astounded that the repairs could take so long.

"I think it's symptomatic of the thoughtlessness shown towards ordinary, and in particularly elderly, members of the public. I've had one woman in her 70s contact me because she is very upset that it's now very difficult to visit her friends. The council might see this as a trivial thing but it's actually very important to many people. The British army managed to get several tank regiments across a river in two days during the last war but it's going to take the council months to sort out a footbridge over a canal. It's ridiculous."

City Council engineer, Jim Robson, explained that they were awaiting a report from consultants which would then be put to committee. The work to repair the bridge would then be put to tender. The whole process could take more than two months.

He added: "Public safety is our paramount concern."