WORK costing more than £500,000 pounds has been carried out in the Darlington area to strengthen and improve bridges.

The council's highways division has carried out work, costing £515,000, to bring the bridges up to new European standards.

Bridges benefiting from the investment so far have included Stone Bridge, in Tubwell Row, Haughton Bridge, Mowden Bridge and Cree Beck Bridge.

Nick Wallis, the council's cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "Without substantial Government investment, Darlington's bridges would have continued to deteriorate.

"Now, we have been able to carry out the structural repairs and improve the look of many bridges."

A further £500,000 is earmarked for additional bridge strengthening work, to be carried out before April next year, at sites including Newton Lane, Denton Bowe bridge, Dene Beck bridge and Summerhouse bridge