Bridge name is a winner...

In fairytales, bridges often come with trolls.

But the naming of Sunderland’s new Wear crossing has brought with it real life trolls ... of the internet variety.

There has been much social media moaning, but the public have had their say and decided upon Northern Spire.

You can’t please all of the people all of the time and no matter what it was named (Bridgey McBridgeface being a popular suggestion), it was bound to rankle with someone.

As it is, an impressive 10,000 plus were more than happy to play a part in history, with Northern Spire being the clear winner.

It’s great to see that so many people are passionate about the name of their new bridge, but it is odd that so many have expressed dismay.

It’s not as if the nation has history of imaginative names for its river crossings. A trawl of the UK’s bridge names is more likely to induce sleep than inspire.

The majority, you may not be surprised to learn, are named after the river they span or the place in which they can be found.

Some don’t even aspire to those lofty naming heights.

Metal Bridge, High Bridge and how about the A419 Road Bridge?

Those that catch eye on the list, do so not necessarily for the right reasons.

Black Boys Bridge, Robber’s Bridge and Isis Bridge are names that appear on the list of UK bridge names. None of which would have gone down too well with the Sunderland public.

Northern Spire will not be everyone’s cup of tea, but in the canon of UK bridge names it’s an inspirational choice.

Get back in your boxes trolls, the people have decided. Northern Spire it is.