Millenium Bridge Gets Jammed

17 March 2014, 18:51 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

The famous tilting Millennium Bridge over the Tyne in Newcastle and Gateshead has jammed open after developing an electrical fault.

The £22m bridge, dubbed the Blinking Eye, broke down at lunchtime.

It was believed to be the first time the mechanism has failed since it opened in 2001.

The bridge, for pedestrians and cyclists, uses electrical power to tilt open to allow vessels to pass underneath.

A Gateshead Council spokesman said:
"The Gateshead Millennium Bridge has developed an electrical fault.

Engineers are currently on site trying to correct it.'' 

It was fixed and working again by 6:15pm - and even lit up in green to celebrate St Patrick's Day.

Picture courtesy of ‏@sage_gateshead