A BRIDGE across the River Wharfe just outside of Ilkley has reopened after it was struck and damaged by a tree being swept downstream.
Bradford Council reopened Denton Bridge on Wednesday (December 30), after water levels dropped low enough for staff to examine the bridge.
The single lane road bridge, used by many drivers who live north of the river, was damaged in the flooding on Boxing Day, when a large tree became lodged underneath it, sending water flowing over the bridge itself.
The tree caused minor structural damage, says the Council, and damaged an electrical cable. The tree became dislodged and floated away downstream on Wednesday, enabling Council staff to check the structure of the bridge and the electrical cable, declaring the bridge once again safe to cross.
The bridge had been closed before Christmas due to previous floods, which damaged a high voltage electricity cable.
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