A bridge which forms part of a popular walking route in Carlisle could be closed for months, it has emerged.

Rickerby Park Memorial Bridge was closed as an emergency on Friday after a routine inspection highlighted "structural risks" but, following further investigation this week, highways officials now say it will be closed for longer than expected.

The bridge forms part of a key route between Warwick Road and Stanwix and is popular with walkers, runners and cyclists, who will now have to use Eden Bridge as an alternative river crossing.

Signage was put up as the bridge was closed immediately for public safety.

The steel structure has extensive corrosive damage in its middle section which will need to be replaced.

An emergency closure notice on Friday suggested the bridge would be closed for five days.

However, a spokesman for Cumbria County Council told the News & Star : "It's going to be a lot longer than five days, but those were the only signs we were legally allowed to put out on Friday because we had to close it as an emergency rather than as a planned temporary traffic regulation order."

He continued: "It's going to be a huge job. It's highly unlikely that anyone would be injured, but it's not worth the risk with a public asset that members of the public use every single day.

"We appreciate that it is an inconvenience but we cannot leave it open if there's any risk whatsoever [that] the steelwork might fail.

"We have to do to it. To do it properly and to do it right, it needs to be closed. It's unfortunate but it's got to be done."

Repairs, the authority said, will be complex and will require intricate temporary works to support the affected part of the bridge, while the old connections are taken apart and new components introduced.

The damage of vital connections on the bridge affects their load-carrying capacity, and so a whole new middle section of the bridge needs to be fabricated and lifted into place.

The bridge, which dates back to 1920, is inspected every six months and was also inspected after Storm Desmond, like all other bridges in the county. The council said the current problem is not due to the 2015 storms or high river levels.

It is now in talks with a contractor to undertake the work but at this stage is unsure of the costs or the exact length of time it will take.

The aim is to complete the work this summer/ autumn.