ENGINEERS are now working seven days a week on an operation to rebuild an historic bridge.

The team working to restore the 150-year-old Mercury Bridge at Richmond is carrying out an extensive piling operation to carry the steel supports that will eventually take the full weight of the structure.

North Yorkshire County Council officials expect all foundation work on the bridge, devastated by last month's flooding of the River Swale, to be completed by August.

Work will then start on erecting the steel framework that will support the bridge from underneath.

A letter detailing the work has been sent to people living in the area and schools have been visited to alert pupils about the dangers of the construction site.

North Yorkshire's environmental services director, Mike Moore, said: "The first priority has always been to make the bridge safe and prevent any further damage.

"But the people of Richmond should be assured that everyone connected with this operation is working flat out to ensure that the whole project is completed as quickly as possible.

"A detailed inspection will be carried out once the bridge structure is safe. Once the full extent of the damage has been determined the requirements for the repair can be finalised."

Mr Moore added: "We are still working to a schedule which forecasts the completion of the repair to the bridge by early December.

"The timetable is already tight, but everything will be done to shorten it where possible."