Damaged listed bridge reopens ahead of schedule

A Grade II listed bridge has reopened a week ahead of schedule after repairs.

Ditchford Bridge in Rushden, Northamptonshire, had been shut since August 2024, when it was hit by a combine harvester that had suffered a puncture.

Repair work started in March and was due to finish on 11 April, but it reopened on 4 April.

Following the closure, local people started a petition asking North Northamptonshire Council to prioritise the repairs.

The bridge is thought to date from 1330 and is a "scheduled monument" – a classification given to historic buildings of national importance.

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