work has begun to demolish Newport Street bridge, which has served Bolton for 100 years.

The wrought iron structure, built in 1905, will be replaced by a new bridge suported by a 60ft tall illuminated arch which will be seen for miles around.

Engineers opted for the radical design to support the new bridge over the railway because it was cheaper than commissioning a more conventional design. Once completed, the upper end of the £3 million bridge's arch will be illuminated at night to give the impression it is floating, an idea designers have borrowed from the Millennium Bridge in Gateshead.

It will weigh a massive 61 tonnes and more than 100 people will work on its construction. Two huge 30 metre long white steel Girders will take most of the weight of the bridge, and the road and the traffic it will carry.

These will be lifted into place by a 131ft high, 500-tonne crane, which is currently being used to build Arsenal's 60,000 seater new stadium at Ashburn Grove in London.

The arch will be made up of five linked pieces, each created by rolling 9.5 metre wide pieces of steel into a cylindrical shape.

A police escort will be required to transport the larger of the pieces to the site following their construction in Birmingham before they are assembled at the Ashburner Street car park and lifted into place by the giant crane in June.

Shaun Tickle, Bolton Council's principal engineer and the lead designer of the bridge, said the unusual design had saved the council thousands of pounds.

He added: "It will be a marvellous structure and will take quite a feat of engineering to put it in place.

The bridge is being paid for jointly by Bolton Council and Network Rail.

The track underneath will be closed for four separate weekends while the work is carried out.

Alterations to train services will be advertised by the train companies.