A charity at the forefront of a fundraising drive to replace a footbridge on the outskirts of Lynmouth has given £1,000 towards the campaign and is appealing to local businesses to get behind the cause.

Woodside Bridge once formed part of a centuries-old walking route along the lower reaches of the East Lyn River. It allowed walkers to return to Lynmouth via a short easy circuit through Middleham Memorial Gardens, created in memory of victims of the notorious 1952 flood.

But its softwood timbers eventually wore out and in December 2016 it had to be removed.

The Lyn Community Development Trust has been working with Exmoor National Park to raise the money needed for a replacement, and its chairman Philip Taylor is pictured presenting a £1,000 cheque to local mayor Dr John Frankish.

That took the fundraising total up to £13,000, but the campaign is still well short of the £65,000 needed to reinstate the bridge with a hardwood structure.

TV presenter Julia Bradbury and actress Caroline Quentin, who is president of the Campaign for National Parks, are supporting the campaign.

Trust director Suzette Hibbert said: “Woodside Bridge is a real asset to both our community and our visitors, as it provides easy access to Middleham Gardens and also a safer route for people wishing to access the very popular walk to Watersmeet from Tors Road.

“We’re now looking for local businesses and individuals who feel as passionately as we do to come forward and help put this much-loved walking route back on the map for another generation.”

Dan James, sustainable economy manager at Exmoor National Park, said: “If the necessary funds can be raised, the new bridge will be built from solid oak sourced here on Exmoor, giving it a much longer lifespan than the last softwood one installed by the army.

“Although not formally a right of way, we’re delighted to be helping bring back this cherished piece of local charm and hope it will lead to thousands more people enjoying this magnificent woodland walk and its unique heritage.”

Anyone wishing to donate to the Woodside Bridge Appeal can do so via CareMoor for Exmoor  at www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/caremoor, via the trust at wonderful.org/appeal/woodsidebridgereplacementappeal-1f70a510 or in person at the National Park Centre in Lynmouth.