REPAIR work has been carried out to save a popular footpath which was at risk of collapsing into the river after a devastating storm.

The banks of the River Wear beneath the footpath at Maiden Castle, behind Durham City Rugby Club, suffered extensive damage in December 2015 when Storm Desmond hit the region.

The storm, which caused flooding across large parts of Cumbria and Northumberland, swept away bridges over the Wear at Stanhope and Frosterley.

Further downstream, the swollen river undermined the banks and left the path at risk of falling into the river if there was a repeat of the storm.

Now, Durham County Council has completed work to strengthen the riverbank which will protect the path against further damage.

The riverside path which links Durham, the university’s sports centre at Maiden Castle and Shincliffe is popular with walkers and cyclists, as well as several of the city’s running groups.

The work was timed to allow completion of a major rebuilding scheme at the site of a landslide across the river at Pelaw Wood, in order to ensure one side of the riverbank was always open for pedestrians and cyclists.

Engineers built foundations at river level, beneath a stepped wall of stone filled wire cages, which have been finished with mats and willow planting.

The work was carried out over a nine-week period and funded from capital money set aside for Storm Desmond footpath repairs across the county.

Cllr Carl Marshall, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “We know how popular this path is with those who enjoy walking, running or cycling along this picturesque stretch of the River Wear.

“The damage caused to the riverbank in December 2015 left us in a position where any further storm damage could have led to the path crumbling into the river.

“The work we have done will hopefully protect the path against bad weather for years to come.”