Residents of two Thames-side towns have suggested a ferry service should replace a bridge after it closed indefinitely due to damages.

Temple Bridge, a popular walking route between Hurley and Marlow along the Thames Path, was closed on Monday May 15 for the rest of the year after it was deemed unsafe for pedestrians.

A spokesperson for National Trail said: "The bridge will remain closed whilst the Environment Agency assess different options, including full replacement.

"Replacing the dock could affect the integrity of the structure, so further assessment is required."

The National Trail website also published details of a diversion route for walkers between Hurley and Marlow, which is available to view here. 

The diversion takes walkers from Temple Lock in Hurley along Temple Lane and Stoney Ware into Marlow. 

Residents on Facebook also discussed the possibility of running a ferry across the Thames waterway between the two towns. 

One person wrote: "I've spoken to a local business about getting a ferry service up and running. They need to do some due diligence and check out the logistics of running such a service first.

"At Benson Lock in Oxfordshire, there is the exact same problem and a temporary ferry service has been put in place until the public walkway is restored."

In a statement released by the Environment Agency on Monday May 15, a representative said Temple Bridge would remain closed until further notice.

"Although we carry out regular structual surveys of all our bridges and other structures, the condition of the bridge's deck boards appear to have deteriorated more quickly than anticipated.

"We now need to assess what work is required to return the bridge to a safe condition.

"We cannot say at the moment what the timescale for that might be, but we are well aware of the inconvenience the bridge closure will cause to the local community and will look to resolve the issue as soon as we can."

Marlow resident Steve Tilbury, who spoke to crewmembers putting barriers around Temple Bridge on Monday, told the BFP that part of its structure had "completely fallen away", leaving a "sizeable hole" that posed serious risk to anyone crossing on foot.

Steve added that he was concerned about the loss of the popular walking route despite the poor state of the bridge necessitating at least a temporary closure. 

"If the Environment Agency is going to take over 18 months to do anything constructive, the loss of the bridge will be a real pain to those who use it regularly."