A bridge connecting two parts of a Lake District valley could be closed for the rest of the month following a bus crash.

The accident happened on Friday afternoon at the bridge connecting Borrowdale and Grange, near Keswick.

The Stagecoach service bus somehow left the road and ended up perched on top of the wall, causing extensive damage.

Passengers were on board at the time but it is believed both they and the driver escaped without injury.

The bridge, which provides a vital link for locals and tourists, has been closed to both traffic and pedestrians all weekend as a result.

Now, Cumbria Police have been told by Cumbria County Council that it could remain shut until May 27 for emergency repairs.

Businesses in the area are worried about the impact of a long term closure, saying it has already hit trade.

Lewis Harrison, assistant manager at the nearby Borrowdale Gates hotel, believes it should at least be opened to pedestrians.

"I was actually there about five or 10 minutes after it happened. There were passengers on it at the time. The driver was really shaken but nobody seemed to be hurt," he said.

"In the grand scheme of things it could have been much worse, but it is going to cause problems if it's closed for a long time at this time of year. The cafes will lose a lot of passing trade and visitors are going to have to come the long way round. A lot of guests are elderly and will have to drive the Catbells road with caravans and camper vans.

"It's also affecting staff. One of our members of staff lives just two miles further down in Borrowdale but now faces a 12 to 15 mile journey to work. I can't understand why they can't at least open it to pedestrians. People are just climbing over the wall or paddling through the river. Surely that's more dangerous than walking across it."

He added that it would also be a problem for farmers, who would now have to use the back roads.