REPAIRS to one of Bexley's most picturesque landmarks are to cost more than £350,000.

The 18th-century Five Arches bridge, in Foots Cray Meadows, Sidcup, was closed in July after a partial collapse which damaged the structure of the bridge and the weirs which run underneath.

Now Bexley Council has given the go-ahead for repairs and restoration to begin as soon as possible and has set aside the money to pay for it.

But it will try to get back most of the cost through grants and other available funds.

Council leader Mike Slaughter who, with fellow Cabinet member Cllr Len Newton, authorised the release of the money said: “We decided to act quickly to remove the threat of further damage.”

The Grade II listed bridge was built in 1781 as part of the landscaping designs for Foots Cray Place drawn up by Capability Brown.

Work is due to start at the end of this month, cutting a channel to divert the River Cray around the bridge and to build a cofferdam to drain the area.

The second stage will be the actual repairs and restoration of the bridge and the weirs.

Up until now, the bridge has been shored up by scaffolding and a temporary weir created to take the pressure off the bridge.