A £250,000 upgrade of Whitby’s historic swing bridge is almost complete.

The bridge, which was built in 1909, has been given a major overhaul to restore its appearance and to reduce the likelihood of breakdowns.

The swing bridge works, carried out by North Yorkshire County Council, have included:

• Replacement of the timber fenders and repairs to the timber “dolphins” which protect the east and west piers of the bridge in the river

• The creation of footways on the dolphins which will enable the bridge to be maintained more easily

• Waterproofing of electric cabling

• Repainting the bridge using its present colour scheme

County Councillor Joe Plant said: “Whitby is one of the country’s major centres of tourism and is very proud of its historic bridge which connects the north and south sides of the town at its centre.”