THE gateway into Tenbury is to get an early spring clean.

But the town will have to wait for the Teme Bridge to be given a new paint job.

Plans to repaint the bridge have been put back because of pressure on the Worcestershire County Council budget.

As a compromise, the bridge is being washed with jets of water to remove as much dirt as possible.

The Teme Bridge was damaged in the floods two years ago and repairs have to be made before it can be painted. However, experts have declared it to be safe and it will have to take its turn.

Tenbury Town Council has been pressing for the bridge to be painted because it considers it to be the gateway to the town – and the first thing visitors see when they visit Tenbury.

“We want it to be painted but at least the clean-up will hopefully improve the appearance of the bridge,” said Councillor Ken Pollock, who represents Tenbury on the county council.

Pictured on Teme Bridge are Ken Pollock, from Worcestershire County Council, county councillor Derek Prodger, cabinet member with responsibility for the environment, and Richard Attwood, county council engineering and project manager