TORRENTIAL rain failed to put a dampener on the opening of a newly installed footbridge, gates and sleeper bridge on a Witchford footpath on Saturday. Witchford Parish Council chairman, Cllr Malcolm Flack-Crane and Witchford Village Society Open Spaces Gr

TORRENTIAL rain failed to put a dampener on the opening of a newly installed footbridge, gates and sleeper bridge on a Witchford footpath on Saturday.

Witchford Parish Council chairman, Cllr Malcolm Flack-Crane and Witchford Village Society Open Spaces Group chairman, Richard Braund jointly cut the ribbon at the official opening ceremony at Footpath 1.

Then group Open Spaces Group members, parish councillors and Cambridgeshire County Councillor, Bill Hunt, who represents the village, celebrated with champagne.

Cllr Flack-Crane said "I am pleased to see access to Witchford's footpaths improve through the successful co-operation between the parish council, landowners, the Open Spaces Group and Cambridgeshire County Council through its Parish Paths Partnership".

Volunteers from the Open Spaces Group installed the bridges and the gates provided under the Parish Paths Partnership scheme.

The improvements to Footpath 1, which starts on Main Street near Common Road, are part of a long-term plan by the Open Spaces Group to make the route more accessible by replacing all the styles with gates, eventually to link with a Permissive Path along Grunty Fen Road.

Pic cap: Cllr Malcolm Flack-Crane and Richard Braund performing the official opening ceremony.