EMERGENCY work is taking place to ensure the safety of a footbridge after an inspection found “significant defects”.

About £60,000 will be spent to keep the Wick Footbridge open to the public, with the bridge heavily used by pedestrians crossing between housing areas and Wickford town centre and train station.

Essex County Council began work on Wednesday, and insist it will be completed by Christmas Eve.

The bridge will remain open throughout the work.

Sylvia Hurd, 63, of Wickford, said: “It is worrying that the first anyone hears about it is that this urgent work is needed as soon as possible.

“Obviously it is good that it is taking place and that nothing has gone wrong, but if there is structural problems this could have ended badly.

“Could we have been talking about the bridge collapsing? So many people walk across it and its a busy road underneath.”

Essex County Council have stated during an inspection, significant defects were identified to “critical components” of the bridge. As a result, urgent propping is needed to help the foundations support the weight of the bridge.

Foundations for the propping need to be created, which began on Wednesday and could last up to three days.

The propping work will follow on from this, and will last up to six days.

A spokesperson for Essex Highways, said: “Our engineering inspection of the bridge found some concerns with the structure, so as a precaution and to guarantee the safety of the bridge for users, this urgent work to put supports in started yesterday and is planned to finish by Christmas Eve.

“We do not intend to close the bridge, so there will be no disruption for local people. When the bridge is securely propped we will begin further work to plan any longer-term repairs that will be needed. The cost of the propping work is £60,000.”