WORK to pave the way for the replacement of Woodside Bridge near Lynmouth started this week.

Contractors working with Exmoor National Park Authority have begun site preparation for the bridge work to get underway towards the end of the month.

It follows an extensive risk assessment based on new Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) detailing how construction work should take place during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Government has said that, where possible, construction work should continue, provided that strict guidelines targeted at the industry are met.

The measures include:

* The contractor team of four staying at Exmoor National Park Authority’s own Pinkery Centre for Outdoor Education and travelling to site directly. They will be in separate rooms and the centre is otherwise closed to the public.

* They will bring all their food with them to avoid any need to visit local shopping facilities and will travel in sepaarate vehicles.

* The site and riverside path will be closed to the public while the workers are there and strict social distancing and hygiene will be observed for their safety.

* Hand washing and welfare facilities will be provided on site within a secure compound.

* The site is open to the air with only a small number of workers, no more than four, present at any one time.

The £65,000 needed for the bridge was fundraised by the community through a partnership between the Lyn Community Development Trust and the park authority’s CareMoor for Exmoor scheme.

The appeal that followed attracted celebrity backing from both Julia Bradbury, and Caroline Quentin. Donations came flooding in, including an anonymous £15,000 contribution towards the end of last year that brought the two-year campaign to a close.

The new bridge will link to Middleham Memorial Gardens which commemorate the 1952 flood that destroyed much of Lynmouth.

It is being constructed in hardwood Exmoor oak, sourced sustainably from the national park’s woodlands, which are solely managed for wildlife and public enjoyment.

The old bridge was removed in 2017 after its softwood timbers decayed and it was deemed unsafe.

Dan Barnett, access and recreation manager at Exmoor National Park Authority, said: “We are pleased to be able to start work on this long-awaited project, which we hope will lift spirits locally and give a much-needed boost to the Lynmouth tourism economy when Government restrictions lift and it is safe for visitors to return.

“We are confident that the measures we are taking will ensure there is no increased risk to residents or workers due to coronavirus.

“Spectators will not be allowed during any of the works and are instead encouraged to follow the event on our social media channels, and of course to come and enjoy the new bridge when circumstances allow.”