The time a Shropshire town rallied round to replace the railings along its historic walk

Staff at the funicular railway said last week that a number of the railings along the walk have come loose and are in need of repair.

Operators at the Cliff Railway have reported the loose railings to Shropshire Council, following fears visitors could be injured if the railings above the 111ft-high Cliff Railway give way.

However, a local historian has said that the railings were originally installed 40 years ago, after the townsfolk of Bridgnorth rallied round and bought the iron balustrades themselves.

Bridgnorth historian Clive Gwilt has unearthed photographs and documents detailing the installation of the railings along Castle Walk following a £100,000 renovation project conducted by the former authority of Shropshire County Council, with some funds raised by Bridgnorth Town Council.

Mr Gwilt said a 'Save The Castle Walk' public meeting was held on December 10, 1979, where the mayor of Bridgnorth at the time, Mrs Shirley Green appealed to the public to help with the Castle Walk renovation plans.

“On December 10, 1979 a public meeting was held to raise £50,000 for the Castle Walk railings by the mayor Mrs Shirley Green,” Mr Gwilt said. “Each railing was to be sold at £5 and a certificate issued.”

Following a meeting, a major fundraising drive was initiated to 'Raise a Railing' and encourage people to invest in the iron railings, which included a 'Grand Social Evening' held in Castle Hall in November 1981.

The fundraising drive lasted until 1983, when finally a newly revamped Castle Walk was opened by Shropshire County Council.

“I am delighted that these long-standing repairs have now been completed and the Castle Walk returned to its former magnificence,” said county council planning chairman Simon Kenyon-Slaney in the Bridgnorth Journal during the unveiling of the new Castle Walk in 1983.

However, Mr Gwilt believes the installation may not have been completed as well as it should, and today's problems could be as a result.

He said: “It appears the railings were placed in the stone without lead which allows for expansion, and now the stones have now been cracked by regular expansion.”