WORK to strengthen Malham Bridge has revealed an original pack horse structure feet below the surface of the bridge.

The stonework of what is believed to be the original crossing of Malham beck was uncovered by workmen carrying out essential repairs to strengthen the bridge to cope with the weight of modern traffic.

"You can see what we suspect is an old pack horse bridge which was extended. You can see that the pack horse bridge was very well built, but the extension was badly built," said John Hunt, project manager for North Yorkshire County Council.

Resident engineer Maurice Brook added that the bridge had had to be extensively grouted to stabilise the stonework, as part of the £45,000 project to permanently strengthen the lifeline bridge, which links the two sides of the village.

The bridge, which is believed to date back 200 or 300 years, was found to be unsafe earlier this year, and Malham villagers protested about a proposed weight limit as they faced a 12 mile round trip alternative route.

The council agreed to temporary works, and after consultation with the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the permanent strengthening scheme was worked out.

Parishioners are coping up with the diversion while the work is going on, but Jim Stevenson, of contractors Houseman and Falshaw, was confident that the work would be done ahead of schedule.

"We should be finished next weekend," said Jim. "We are concreting over the bridge so the original bridge will no longer be seen."

Villager Ronnie Ingham, who has the Post Office which is right next to the bridge, said nobody knew exactly how old the bridge was.

And Juli Boocock, chairman of Malham Parish Council, said that villagers were pleased to see the permanent strengthening work being done.

"There will be a good job done. I don't doubt, though, that if we hadn't shouted about it, we wouldn't be where we are now," she told the Herald.

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