WORK has started on Sunderland's new £100m bridge.

The clearance of the former site of Grove Cranes, which closed its doors in 1998, heralds the start of the New Wear Crossing project. The new bridge, scheduled to open in 2018, will cross the river between Wessington Way in Castletown and European Way in Pallion.

The project, part of bold plans to regenerate the area, relieve congestion and attract new jobs and investment to the city.

Demolition specialists will spend the next few weeks dismantling old buildings on the southern side of the river to make way for the new road network that will lead to the bridge.

Councillor Paul Watson, the leader of Sunderland City Council, said: "This is the first bridge to be built over the Wear in the city for over 40 years, so it makes me really proud to be here to meet some of the team who are involved."

In May, the contract to build the bridge was awarded to FVB JV, set up by Farrans Construction and Victor Buyck Steel Construction, which are bringing together their skills and expertise to deliver the complex project.