CONCERNED residents in Alvechurch are calling for a rotten bridge over the Worcester and Birmingham Canal to be removed, over fears for children's safety.

The bridge, known locally as 'The Dead Arm', was built in the 1980s during the development of the M42 motorway, but it has since fallen into disrepair and been cordoned off.

But Tony Brannon, a member of the Worcester, Birmingham & Droitwich Canals Society, has seen children climbing on the bridge, and is worried that someone could fall in and drown.

He said: "This footbridge is in a very sorry state, is an eyesore to the local community and could, in my opinion, be considered as very dangerous. The wood is rotting away and, although it is blocked off to prevent people using it, there is severe doubt in my mind about how secure this is and, again, in my opinion, an accident waiting to happen."

Last month, a 49-year-old man died when his narrowboat sank in a Droitwich canal, causing the Canals Society to call for extra precautions to be taken throughout the region.

Mr Brannon added: "We have already seen a terrible accident, unrelated, on the Droitwich Canal and here is another possible location where something awful might occur in the future."

After concerns were raised by Alvechurch Parish Council, Mr Brannon and the chair of the Canals Society David Wheeler wrote to the Canals & River Trust to ask that the bridge be removed.

Nick Worthington, waterway manager at the Canal & River Trust, said: “Our engineers regularly inspect all of our structures to make sure they’re safe. We’ve asked them to take a further look as David and Tony have been in touch.”