WORK has been completed to repair the Lady Hunter Blair Walk bridge which has been in a dangerous condition and unusable for some time.

Directors of North Carrick Community Benefit Company (NCCBC) were awarded a grant of £5,000 to match monies from South Ayrshire Council’s outdoor access fund which has now been utilised for the repairs.

Contractors Jamieson Plant Hire have now confirmed works on the lower footbridge have been completed, allowing access to resume on the walk at Straiton.

When they removed the deck boards and parapets from the bridge, they discovered the timbers were in a far worse state than expected, meaning they had to use new timber to replace a lot more of the structure.

The bridge has now effectively been rebuilt which has pleased locals. One resident said: “This is one of the beautiful Straiton Walks and the one where folk often comment on the magical element there.

“It's the sort of place you expect to see fairies and has different aspects of loveliness according to the seasons. With the new bridge in place locals and visitors will again be able to enjoy this circular walk instead of just being able to use the top path.”