Railway electrification took a step forward as the first rebuilt bridge opened in the north-west.

For four-and-a-half months, the crossing in Ashton-under-Lyme has been closed to make it the necessary height to accommodate power lines running underneath. 

The work is part of a £400 million project which aims to electrify important parts of the railway in the north-west. It is anticipated that the transformation will be complete by December 2018.

John Johnson, scheme project manager for Network Rail, stated: "Electrification provides a greener, faster and more reliable railways, providing many benefits to passengers."

Children at nearby St Christopher's RC school officially opened the bridge, after they had been learning about the project over the last year. They also installed a time capsule at the site to be opened in 50 years' time, which will give future pupils at the school an insight into what life was like in 2014.