POOLE bridge will be closed for a week from 7am on Monday to allow “pre-planned, essential maintenance” to be carried out.

Neither traffic nor pedestrians will be able to use the bridge until the bridge re-opens at the same time the following Monday.

The work includes the inspection and replacement of mechanical elements of the structure, the replacement of nose bolts, the addition of extra counter balance weights and painting.

Lynne Wait, Poole council interim engineering manager, said: "We are committed to a two-bridge system and want to keep our lifting bridges operating efficiently and reliably in the long term.

“To achieve this we need to carry out planned preventative maintenance to keep them operating smoothly.

“By closing Poole Bridge outside of peak times in the year we will be able to minimise disruption to residents who will always have one bridge available.”

The bridge has already been closed several times this year to allow engineering work to take place.

During the closure the Twin Sails Bridge will be operating as normal and the council says that there will be no significant disruption to marine traffic.