Anne opens £145m bridge after being delayed by bad weather

The Princess Royal has officially opened the £145 million Gull Wing Bridge – the largest rolling bascule bridge in the world.

Anne pressed a button to open the distinctive crossing, which spans Lake Lothing in Lowestoft, Suffolk, triggering the lifting of the hydraulic cylinders to allow the Excelsior, a traditional Lowestoft fishing smack, to pass through.

The King’s sister, dressed in a red jacket, tartan skirt and knee high boots, donned a beige overcoat and red scarf for her walk across the bridge in the chilly conditions.

During her tour of the long-awaited crossing, she was seen standing and peering up at the bascule span’s huge white posts – which resemble the wings of a gull and inspired local children to come up with its name.

The trio were in Year 6 pupils at the town’s Somerleyton Primary School when they originally suggested the idea.

Funding for the landmark was first announced in 2016 and construction began four years ago, with delays before it eventually opened for use in September.

The third bridge across Lake Lothing, it was built to reduce traffic congestion in the town, regenerate the area and attract investment for the local economy.

It is open to pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles and is 345 metres long.

Anne, 74, spent five nights in hospital in the summer after suffering concussion and minor head injuries in a horse-related incident on her Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire.

She recuperated at home before returning to public duties less than three weeks later.