THE restoration of Reeth's historic suspension bridge is becoming a race against time.

The original crossing stood for more than 80 years until it was washed away in floods last year.

A tree trunk, being carried downstream by the fast-flowing River Swale, severed the central cables of the footbridge and damaged the abutments, in September.

There was hope a new structure would soon be in place when the Department of the Environment confirmed a £36,000 grant for the work in December.

But there was still £50,000 to raise and the leading agency, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, has still to confirm that all the costs are covered.

What it does have in pledges could also be in jeopardy if work is not finished by June, as some of the grants that have been offered have deadlines attached.

The authority moved to speed up the process this week, by giving its chief executive, David Butterworth, a mandate to agree repair contracts as soon as a funding package is in place.

The vote means the project will not have to be referred back to committee members for further debate.

But, despite winning backing from North Yorkshire County Council and the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, a spokesman said that not all of the money needed was yet in place.

"However, we are confident the money will be there in time," said Mr Butterworth.