Walkers have been warned they face a £1,000 fine if they take a shortcut over a bridge near Blickling Hall deemed unsafe.

Norfolk County Council has been forced to shut Moorgate Bridge, which crosses the Bure, after severe rot was found in the wooden structure.

It means walkers travelling on routes that surround the Weaver's Way - a 61-mile trail that goes from Cromer to Great Yarmouth - face a detour of nearly two miles to reach the other side of the river.

Eastern Daily Press: A section of the River Bure in the Blickling areaA section of the River Bure in the Blickling area (Image: Newsquest)

The council has since warned that it is a criminal offence to break the traffic regulation order and anyone found guilty could be liable to a fine of up to £1,000. 

The closure first came into force in September last year but this has now been extended because recent wet weather means engineers have been unable to carry out the repairs.

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Eastern Daily Press: The diversion route in place in BlicklingThe diversion route in place in Blickling (Image: Google)

Further investigations have now concluded that the bridge needs to be replaced entirely, which could mean the crossing point could be out of action for even longer and the closure has now been extended until August.

NCC has said it is working on preparing a new design for the replacement structure, which will need approval from the Environment Agency, who will assess the crossing to ensure it won't hinder water flow.

READ MORE: River Bure foot ferry announces closure

Eastern Daily Press: Thomas Boleyn's ghost is said to drive the coach that delivers his daughter, Anne, to Blickling Hall on the anniversary of her execution.Thomas Boleyn's ghost is said to drive the coach that delivers his daughter, Anne, to Blickling Hall on the anniversary of her execution. (Image: © ARCHANT NORFOLK 2012)

The bridge is located north of the National Trust-managed Blickling Hall, a Jacobean mansion built on the ruins of a Tudor manor that is believed to be the birthplace of Ann Boleyn - King Henry VIII's ill-fated second wife.

The ghost of her father, Sir Thomas Boleyn, is reputed to haunt several bridges in the area - but Moorgate is not thought to be among them.

His apparition is said to make a frantic trip crossing 12 bridges between Blickling and Wroxham on the anniversary of her execution on May 19, 1536.