A local man has taken it upon himself to repair a broken footbridge in Cumnock woodland.

Hugh Mair fixed the bridge along the River Ayr walk after noticing it posed a threat to the safety of those enjoying a stroll along the river.

The bridge is located between Haugh Farm and the Ballochmyle Railway Viaduct on the river walk.

Hugh repaired the bridge on his own time and with his own materials because he wanted to improve the area for those making use of the walkway.

He said: “My motivation was simple, it was smashed up, was dangerous, and would not get repaired at this time because there are more important things happening in the world just now with COVID-19.”

So rather than wait for somebody else to fix the bridge, Hugh decided it was his responsibility as a user of the area to contribute to its upkeep.

He added: “I’m not looking for publicity or a pat on the back, I just posted the pictures on Facebook asking people to take care of our countryside.”

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