New bridge in place

The 24-year-old civil engineer from Cross Roads, Keighley, designed the £3.2 million bridge herself and abandoned some of her celebrations to help oversee matters as the structure was pushed into place across the River Worth, near Brewery Street, Keighley.

A section of the railway had to be closed for three days - Christmas Day, Boxing Day and yesterday - so the bridge could be slid across the river.

Kate, a former pupil of Oakbank School, Keighley, said: "It's fantastic. It means I have left a contribution to the place where I live. That was one of the reasons I chose to specialise in civil engineering at university."

The University of Durham graduate was on site - camera in hand - to capture the event.

She said: "It was wonderful to see. Everything went smoothly - now I can sleep."

There were a few early problems in dismantling the old wrought-iron bridge, which took slightly longer to take apart than anticipated.

Kate said: "Sliding the new bridge into place went really well. It went quicker than expected so time was made up there.

"I spent four hours down there on Boxing Day, and after I got home I received a call saying that it was in place.

"Everybody is happy with the progress. People are going round smiling and so am I."

Kate commutes to work in Leeds by train every day and is looking forward to crossing her bridge when she returns to work next Thursday.

"I'm very proud of making a contribution to the place where I live - I'm looking forward to travelling across it," she said.

The new bridge - Network Rail will know it as TJC3/71 - will have a lifespan of 120 years, so will be carrying rail traffic well into the next century. It replaces the old structure, built in 1882.

Kate, who works for civil engineers White, Young and Green in Leeds, got her enthusiasm for engineering during a special four-day residential course at Bradford University when studying her A-levels.

She is also an apprentice with the Institute of Civil Engineers.