A £75,000 assembly cash injection to help fund £2million of repairs at Newport Transporter bridge has left fundraisers disappointed but still determined.

Yesterday the National Assembly announced £400,000 were to be ploughed into historic landmarks throughout Wales to help pay for their upkeep and renovations.

Yet friends of the Newport Transporter Bridge say the money is nowhere near enough the amount they need to get the bridge back on track.

Anne Gatehouse, chairwoman of the Friends of Newport Transporter Bridge, said: “We are very disappointed with the amount given to the bridge.

“This is a Welsh tourist attraction which is very, very important. It is the only one of its type in Wales and it is a heritage structure.”

The bridge has now been closed for more than a year after the high level rails supporting the gondola were deemed unsafe. It has only been opened in the past for some emergency journeys and the council has predicted £2 million will need to be found before the bridge can be reopened on a permanent basis.

Ms Gatehouse is determined to continue her fight to find the funds needed to repair the iconic landmark.

“We are definitely not going to lose the bridge, " she continued.

"It should not be left to the ratepayers of Newport to sort this out. The bridge is a worldwide attraction.”

It will now be left to the council to try and find the extra money needed for the repairs while the Friends group will continue to make appeals and have meetings with councillor David Atwell, the Newport council cabinet member for transport, highways and engineering.

Ebbw Vale steel site gets grant

Elsewhere, Blaenau Gwent were given the largest grant in Wales of £100,000 to restore the former British Steel offices at The Works, Ebbw Vale.

The restoration of the offices if the cornerstone of the site's redevelopment which will include a new hospital, adult education centre and hundreds of houses and appartments.

Blaenau Gwent Council leader Des Hillman said the council welcome the funding and said the redevelopment of the former steelworks site will be "vital for the regeneration of Blaenau Gwent's economy.

The money will be spent of restoring the wooden windows in the grade II listed building.