CHILDREN are dicing with death by climbing over barricades at entrances to a dilapidated footbridge, residents claimed today.

The warning comes after Dorset County Council blocked off Alexander Footbridge which runs over the railway line and between Hanover Road and Radipole Park Drive in Weymouth.

The bridge has been deemed unsafe by engineers.

Now residents are complaining that the closure is a nuisance for law abiding pedestrians and a 'deathtrap' for those ignoring warning signs and risking a £400 fine.

Emma Richmond, 32, of Hanover Road, said: "Someone's going to kill themselves.

"They're jumping up over the side using the wall and they could easily slip and fall. It's mainly children but there are some young adults between 20 and 30 jumping over too. There's absolutely no point in the fences being there."

She added: "That bridge is a lifeline to many people here. They use it to get to the shops and the park. Many older people can't walk all round the other way.

"Some of the smaller kids are playing football in the road because they can't easily get to the park, which is dangerous in itself."

The council said that plans were in hand to replace the bridge.

Landscape gardener Steve Chalk, 43, of nearby Lyndhurst Road, said: "We're told by the council that arrangements are being made to finalise a contractor by December and then a new bridge installed in April or May next year.

"I don't understand why the council didn't sort out a contractor a couple of years ago, even if it was to take the bridge down on a short notice basis if it was deemed unsafe.

"If this had been sorted out earlier then we wouldn't have the ridiculous situation whereby people are putting their lives at risk, albeit illegally."

Michael Winter, head of the council's engineering consultancy, said: "We did originally look at putting the replacement Alexander Footbridge on a different alignment to the existing one.

"A couple of options were considered but there were technical difficulties.

"If people are scaling the barricades presently around the bridge we will certainly have a look to see if we can make them more secure.

"If people insist on climbing over there is a limit to what we can do.

"The barriers are there for a reason.

"It is clear the footbridge is closed to the public and these people should not be trying to use it."