Residents pushing for a £200,000 footbridge across the River Wharfe at Burley-in-Wharfedale are drawing up plans to start a massive fund-raising campaign.

The newly formed Burley Bridge Association has just been given planning permission for the project by Bradford and Harrogate planning chiefs, subject to some negotiations.

Now members are looking at different ways to get the cash for the bridge, which will replace dangerous stepping stones across the river near the village.

Association secretary Brian Spence said the money raised would also have to pay for the maintenance of the bridge over the years once it was built.

"We have a fair way to go yet," he said.

"We didn't start the fund-raising for real until we had the planning permission. Once the negotiations are sorted out we can really go to town. I would think we will be starting towards the end of the year and we are planning to apply to the Sports Council for a lottery grant and to big national companies. There will be local fund-raising as well.

"We have looked into employing an outside agency to do it on our behalf - a firm which has experience in this sort of thing. It is an option.

"And we are considering forming a trust fund which will be there for continuous maintenance over the future years."

The association has had the backing of the local Ramblers' Association members who say the existing stepping stones are too dangerous.

The campaign for a bridge at Burley-in-Wharfedale started about three years ago.

Walkers say the network of footpaths on both banks is severed by the river, with the nearest crossing points - apart from the stones - at Ben Rhydding or at Otley.

"The stones are too far apart for someone with a disability or children - you have to jump from one to another and when they get wet they are extremely slippery," said Mr Spence.

"We regard them as a hazard. They are very dangerous, especially when the river is high."

The West Riding area of the Ramblers' Association has agreed to donate £1,500 towards the likely legal costs of creating new footpaths linking existing rights of way to the bridge site.

Secretary Keith Wadd said: "We call upon the landowners involved, in the public interest, to give their full co-operation in the creation of the new paths.

"That way legal costs can be kept to a minimum and donations such as ours can go towards the actual construction of the bridge."

The planned bridge will be discussed at the annual general meeting of Burley Community Council later this month.

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