AN idea to span a 500ft steel rope bridge across the River Tees to attract people to Teesdale and boost the local economy is being given serious consideration.

The idea for a new £500,000 bridge, crossing at the old railway viaduct near Barnard Castle and based on the world famous Capilano suspension bridge in Vancouver, Canada, was dreamt up by Mr Chris Dauber, secretary of Teesdale Marketing, the trading arm of the local business development group.

Teesdale Marketing has now asked the market towns partnership co-ordinator, David McKnight, to consider the idea along with others put forward during a consultation process.

"I think it is a great idea," said Mr McKnight, "And one worthy of serious consideration. What I am trying to do is to broaden the imagination of residents to come up with innovative schemes like this that will be attractive to funders."

Mr McKnight said transport, parking and how to make sure tourists returned were perceived to be the main priorities of those attending public meetings with the aim of improving Teesdale.

"A scheme like this could be less of a bridge and more of a magnet for tourists. But it is very much at the ideas stage."

This was verified by Mr Dauber, who said the scheme had been played up to gauge public reaction, because if residents were not behind it there was no point in trying to get it off the ground.

He felt the building of a bridge was technically feasible because experts from Cleveland Bridge had been to look at the site and confirmed that it would be possible.

But although the project had not yet been linked to funding Mr Dauber felt that it would be the maintenance rather than initial funding that could be the worry.

"I am thinking along the lines of an operating company, probably with private and public sector stakeholders," he said.

Town councillors were trying to upgrade footpaths at Flatts Wood, which might tie in nicely with a bridge scheme, which in terms of construction would take only two months to build. "I don't see any reason why we should not get this in 12-18 months," added Mr Dauber. "We just need some positive input."

Meanwhile, local photographer and historian Mr Parkin Raine brought the D&S Times' attention to an earlier suspension bridge built across the Tees at Cotherstone.

Following a football match between Cotherstone and Mickleton on Good Friday 1929, some 40 spectators went rushing onto the bridge from the Durham side to catch buses on what was then the Yorkshire side.

This caused one of the wire ropes supporting the end on the Durham shore to give way, hurling 20 people onto rocks in the shallow water below.

There were many back and head injuries, the most seriously injured being Mrs Sally Nattrass of Belle View, Romaldkirk, who fractured her back and was conveyed to the Greenbank Hospital at Darlington. Cotherstone cottagers threw open their houses for use as temporary hospitals.

"I brought the pictures in out of interest, not to scupper any bridge plans," said Mr Raine. "But it does make you think!"

The next round of market towns partnership meetings begins on Monday at Winston Village Hall at 7pm.

Other venues include Langdon Beck Hotel on Tuesday at 7.30 and Witham Hall, Barnard Castle next Thursday at 7pm. Other dates will follow in next week's D&S Times