TV presenter and historian Dan Cruickshank fights to save historic bridge at Boxted
Watch ITV News Anglia's reporter Sophie Wiggins' report on the battle to save the bridge.
TV presenter and historian Dan Cruickshank has joined the campaign to save an Essex bridge set to be knocked down.
The bridge has stood across the River Stour, in the heart of Dedham Vale, since 1897.
The span is located just outside the village of Boxted on the border of Essex and Suffolk.
But because of safety concerns Highways Essex wants to knock it down and build something bigger.
However Cruickshank, who lived in Essex for several years, said he believes the bridge is worth fighting for, and is backing a local campaign to save it.
He told ITV News Anglia: "It's handsome and it works. From the engineering point of view, it's fascinating. It's more complicated and cleverer than maybe it looks.
"And this is obviously a quite remote and charming village and I think a very important area of beauty. Why on earth would you want to remove a building, a structure that makes a contribution replaced by something even larger on a road that's narrow?"
In a statement Essex Highways said: "The possibility of repairing the current bridge was explored, but the structure, as well as its overall condition, meant replacement was the favoured option.
"Our studies also indicate that fire appliances and refuse vehicles cannot safely manoeuvre at the junction. Our preference is to replace the existing structure with a slightly wider bridge of similar design."
However local people want to see the bridge renovated and improved rather than replaced .
A petition to save the bridge has gathered more than 6,000 signatures.
One resident, Chas Bazeley, said Highways Essex are concerned about heavy lorries being able to turn left over the bridge.
He said: "Actually that problem has been solved because they've simply put up signs saying that it is unsuitable for heavy lorries, which it is anyway because the lanes leading to the bridge in every direction are far too narrow."