25/3/2010 - Bridge safety warning for Uppies and Downies games

Players and spectators at this year’s Uppies and Downies series are being asked to take care near the construction site of Workington’s new temporary road bridge.

The traditional version of football –that will see three games held over the Easter period –will take place in the vicinity of the new bridge currently being built across the River Derwent.

Contractors Morgan Est will secure the construction site and fencing will be repositioned to free up the starting point ahead of the games.

But with potentially dozens of players and thousands of spectators descending on the area there is the potential for people to stray on site and place themselves in danger or compromise the good progress being made on the bridge.

Councillor Tony Markley, Cumbria County Council’s cabinet member for highways, said: "I’m very pleased the Uppies and Downies games are going ahead as usual despite the upheaval caused by the floods.

"Of course we don’t want to spoil any enjoyment of the event but we’d appreciate it if people could just take care around the site of the new bridge both for their own safety and to avoid causing any problems or delays to the building work."

ENDS

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