RAILWAY enthusiasts, artists and local people are fighting to save a picturesque 19th century railway bridge at North Brentor.

Wortha Mill Overbridge is one of a pair and carries a narrow road over the former London and South Western Railway and Great Western Railway lines which ran parallel along the valley.

Train company Railway Property Ltd wants to infill to road level and take down part of the stone bridge which Mary Tavy Parish Council claims is 'a cheap option and will not preserve the heritage'.

A petition, signed by almost 60 people, has been submitted to Dartmoor National Park Authority which is due to discuss the proposal tomorrow (Friday) at its monthly meeting.

It raises a range of objections including a concern that the adjacent bridge could also meet a similar fate.

People are worried about the number of local bridges which have disappeared and say further losses must be prevented.

They also claim there has been a lack of maintenance to the bridges and to block the line would prevent any future reopening of the railway line.

But the railway company's structural engineers say the arch is failing due to a skew on the bridge and there is insufficient support from the earth embankment.

Active movement has been recorded recently and there is concern that the bridge may become a threat to public safety.

Two more alternatives have been considered by the engineers. The first is to hide support using mini piles and the second is an exposed support of the arch — these would cost up to three times as much as the infill.

But the engineers say the schemes are expensive, would cause disruption and might not last 25 years.

In a report which recommends refusal, a park officer said: 'The bridge has local historical interest and is aesthetically pleasing.

'The proposal will have a detrimental effect on the bridge and its setting, including its visual relationship with the adjoining GWR bridge and the remains of Wortha Mill.

'The obliteration of the main part of the bridge would be a regrettable loss. It seems clear that works to stabilise the structure are urgently required.'

Both Brentor and Mary Tavy parish councils have objected to the proposal and the Environment Agency is against the scheme on the grounds that there is insufficient information to assess the effect of the plans on flood flow paths and flood storage.