Too heavy for bridge

A COMPANY using a lorry with a weight of 17.8 tonnes has been fined for exceeding the allowed weight of 7.5 tonnes on Swarkestone Bridge over the Trent.

Spot checks on the scheduled ancient monument discovered the overweight  Teatime Tasties Limited lorry, with the The Tyne & Wear company fined £265 and ordered to pay costs of £115. Alan Tilbury tells us.

Longest in country

Swarkestone Bridge dates back to the 13th century and is the longest stone bridge in the country, around three-quarters of a mile long, crossing the Trent and its flood plain at Swarkestone, south of Derby.

It is a Grade I listed structure that was substantially rebuilt in the late 18th century and is famous for being the place where Bonnie Prince Charlie stopped his march from Scotland after so many of his men deserted on the long march South.