CAMPAIGNERS are hopeful work to repair a historical railway bridge which was damaged by thieves can start soon.

The Milk Road and Accommodation bridges, on the original Stockton and Darlington Railway line, were damaged last year.

Thieves stole stone from the bridges based at Brusselton, near to Shildon, in County Durham.

The Brusselton Incline Group was set up to determine who owned the bridges and to seek repairs to them.

Durham County Council has discovered that it owns the Accommodation bridge and is in the process of contacting the Land Registry about it.

Once the land has been registered the council and the incline group are to seek funding to carry out possible repairs.

It is hoped that the repairs to both bridges will be completed by 2025 to mark the 200th anniversary of the railway.