At just 24, Kate Gower has already achieved her childhood ambition - to leave her mark on the world.

Engineer Kate has designed and helped to oversee the construction of a bridge which will carry hundreds of thousands of railway commuters - including herself.

Not quite on the scale of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Clifton Suspension Bridge, but the River Worth Bridge, at Keighley, is just as crucial a piece of engineering on the Airedale line as Brunell's structure is to crossing the river Avon.

And with a lifespan of 120 years, it will be doing its job well into the next century.

Kate, a former pupil of Oakbank School, Keighley, said: "It's the biggest job I've done. It's fantastic. It means I have left my contribution to the place where I live.

"That was one of the reasons I chose to specialise in civil engineering at university.

"And what makes it that bit more special is that I will be travelling over it every day to work."

Kate, a graduate of Durham University, lives in Cross Roads, near Keighley, and commutes to Leeds where she works for White, Young and Green civil engineers.

The £3.2 million bridge - Network Rail will know it as TJC3/71 - will slide into place across the river during the Christmas break.

The steal and concrete structure is replacing the old wraught-iron bridge which was put up in 1882.

Kate will be leaving her Christmas festivities on Boxing Day to see the work in progress.

"It has to be slid across by low friction, pushed by jacks, because we can't lift it," she said.

"The whole job, taking out the old bridge and sliding in the new one, which has been built next to the line in Brewery Street, must be done over three days while the line is closed.

"The rails are already on the bridge and they will have to be welded to the old rails as well."

It is a double celebration for Kate, who is one of only six people to have been selected as an apprentice at the Institute of Civil Engineering.

The selction process tested her essay writing skills and she had to undergo an interview by engineering chiefs.

Her duties will involve shadowing Institute president David Orr when he is in the area and delivering speeches.

Kate's enthusiasm for enginbeering was ignited during a special four-day residential course at Bradford University when studying her A levels.