IT MAY not be as famous as Gateshead's version, but Durham's very own Millennium Bridge is already turning heads.

The 51-metre bridge, the first footbridge to be built in the historic city for decades, was lifted into place on Saturday and now proudly straddles the River Wear.

And despite fears of postponing the operation due to Arctic-like weather conditions the previous day, in the end the bridge took its place amid glorious early morning sunshine.

The bridge, which now links Framwellgate Waterside and The Sands car park at Freeman Place, is costing £460,000 and is funded by the Millennium Commission and the city and county councils.

Workers wasted little time in lifting the bridge's A-frame into place and securing it to the banks.

By Sunday the final job of attaching the Waterside ramp was complete.

Burney Johnson is the county council's head of design services and he watched as the operation went like clockwork. He said: "All the main elements are now in place and I'm pleased to say there weren't any hitches.

"After Friday's appalling weather we thought there might be problems, but it could not have been more perfect on Saturday morning.

"And speaking to members of the public down there, they all seem to like what they see."

The bridge is due to be completed in March and is part of the city's Millennium City project in nearby Claypath.

It rests near the £30m four-star hotel that will be built by Newcastle's Closegate Hotel Developments and run by SAS Radisson.

Durham City Council has run a competition to name the bridge and the results should be announced soon.