HEAVY lorries laden with stone were using Eastham Bridge in the hours and days before its sudden and dramatic collapse.

But the lorries were doing nothing wrong because the bridge built in 1793 had no weight restriction.

John Fraser, highways manager for Worcestershire County Council, has confirmed to the Tenbury Wells Advertiser that lorries belonging to a contractor had been using the bridge but there was nothing to suggest they had broken any law.

Pressure is growing for answers as to why Eastham Bridge collapsed on a calm late spring afternoon as children were being ferried on minibuses between the Lindridge School and the village.

Buses taking children from Lindridge School to Eastham were operating at the time that the 200- year- old grade II-listed bridge fell into the waters of the River Teme.

One minibus had 11 children on board, and was approaching the bridge at the time it collapsed but by pure good fortune no one was on the bridge when it gave way.

Robert Barlow, the local vicar, said that there was a huge feeling of relief as people recognised that it could have been much worse.

He said: “I am not sure if it is a miracle that no one was on the bridge but we could be dealing with many funerals.”

A specialist team of divers has been brought in to try to help to discover why the bridge collapsed.

Residents are demanding action and answers whilste Worcestershire County Council say that the bridge is inspected in line with requirements and was last looked at in December.

Barry Gutteridge, aged 73, a small holder, who lives in Barn Cottage in Eastham, believes the collapse may be linked to it being used by the heavy lorries.

He says that even if there was no weight restriction on the bridge the lorries were using Featherbed Lane that is signed as ‘“unsuitable for heavy vehicles.’”.

“During Monday and until the time the bridge collapsed on Tuesday afternoon, Eastham was subject to large stone tipper lorries carrying road stone through the village of up to Hanley William Village Hall where the road leading down to Stoke Bliss was being re-surfaced,” he said.

“The lorries, eight wheelers carrying over 20 tonnes loaded the stone from Mamble and travelled to Eastham via Featherbed Lane, signed as unsuitable for heavy goods vehicles, over Eastham Bridge and up New Road ‘C’ Classified road to Hanley William.

“Each lorry appeared to be full and would have weighed in excess of 20 tonness. It was impossible for the lorries to pass on this lane without one or other of the vehicles reversing back down the lane or trying to reverse onto private property.

“When they emptied their lorry at Hanley William they did the journey in reverse back to Mamble to re-load.”

One the day that the bridge collapsed (Tuesday, May 24) he says that many lorries used the bridge.

“During Tuesday up to the time the bridge collapse residents monitored at least 20 loads of stone travelling over Eastham Bridge,” he added. “The route taken by these large lorries was completely unsuitable and even dangerous when other more suitable routes on ‘A’ class roads were available.”

Another issue that has been raised is the amount of vegetation growing on the bridge and if this could have weakened the structure.

Meanwhile, the possibility of the Army providing a temporary pontoon -style bridge is being looked at but this is unlikely as such a bridge would have no sides and would require a permanent army presence. Other options for a temporary bridge are being examined.

Villagers are facing months of costly inconvenience but they know that but for good luck they could be coming to terms with a major tragedy.

Worcestershire County Council says that the cause is still being investigated alongside the possibility of installing a temporary bridge.

Tenbury MP Harriett Baldwin has been in talks with the Army to see if a temporary bridge can be put in place after discovering from locals that there was a Bailey Bridge in the Second -World -War.

She says that a full investigation must reveal the cause and that she had discussed the collapse at Ministerial level.