Bridge repaired after crash
A HISTORIC canal bridge as been repaired after being badly damaged when a van crashed into it and burst into flames.
Police were called to the bridge over the Grand Union Canal between Theddingworth and Foxton, near Market Harborough, at just after midnight on Saturday, April 3.
They found the vehicle on fire when they arrived, but no driver at the scene. Firefighters arrived and put out the flames.
Large sections of the bridge had fallen into the canal due to the force of the impact.
The Canal and River Trust closed the road over the bridge - Bunker’s Hill Road – and the section of canal running under it, while they carried out repairs. Bunker’s Hill Road has now reopened after the work was completed by the Trust.
It was the second time in 18 months a vehicle had hit the historic structure, with the charity urging drivers to slow down when negotiating bridges over the canal.
Phil Mulligan, regional director for the Canal and River Trust, said: “This is the second time in recent years we’ve had to carry out major repairs to the bridge after being hit by a vehicle. Brick bridges like this are part of the fabric of the area and it’s really important that we all look after them to make sure they’re there for future generations to enjoy.”