RICHMONDSHIRE will share in a £50 million lottery jackpot after a successful campaign to "Bridge the Gap" in Brompton on Swale.

The project - to deck an old military railway bridge near Catterick racecourse - is one of 79 schemes that charity Sustrans included in its UK-wide Connect2 bid.

Connect2 came out on top in a public vote, picking up £50 million from the Big Lottery Fund. Bridge the Gap is set to be allocated £50,000 of that total.

Bridge the Gap brought together Brompton on Swale Parish Council, Richmondshire District Council, North Yorkshire County Council, the Richmond Swale Valley Community Initiative, Yorkshire Water and the Ministry of Defence - as well as countless other residents, businesses and voluntary groups.

Helen Harper, sustainable development policy officer at Richmondshire District Council, said: "We're all absolutely thrilled that our bid was successful, and so grateful to everyone in Richmondshire who got behind Bridge the Gap to make their votes count."

Frank Broughton, of Brompton on Swale Parish Council, said: "It is fantastic that Connect2 was the winning bid. There's still an awful lot of work to be done, from laying the bridge decking to creating new stretches of bridle path to link existing rights of way - but soon Bridge the Gap will have made a massive difference to Brompton on Swale and the surrounding area."

...soon Bridge the Gap will have made a massive difference to Brompton on Swale...

Frank Broughton - Brompton on Swale Parish Council

John Grimshaw, Sustrans CEO, said: "This is a fantastic Christmas present! We are delighted that Sustrans' Connect2 has proved itself the people's favourite in the public vote and won the £50 million from the Big Lottery Fund.

"As a massive public consultation exercise Connect2 has engendered a huge amount of goodwill from all sectors. It has confirmed our belief that people want to walk and cycle more when given the right surroundings.

"But the hard work starts now and there will be a huge amount to be done to make sure we fulfil all our obligations to the Big Lottery Fund. Ultimately the real winners will be those thousands of people who will now be able to Connect2 their shops, schools, workplaces and each other every day!"

• Picture (left to right): Bridge the Gap campaigners Yvonne Brookes, Susie Broughton and Frank Broughton join Helen Harper, of Richmondshire District Council, as they celebrate the announcement