PRINCESS ANNE will not be able to attend the opening of Monmouth's new bridge on March 14.

Princess Anne said in a letter to Simon Boyle, the Lord Lieutenant of Gwent, that her commitments prevented her performing the opening ceremony but she would still like to visit later in the year.

Instead, the new Monnow Bridge is to have its own party, an informal event that will start at noon on the Sunday. Community groups are being invited to form a procession over the bridge and to have a picnic on the Chippenham Green.

Banners for the procession, which can be decorated by local organisations, are available from the One Stop Shop in Priory Street. Traders and local organisations from Monmouth are also assembling stalls on the green.

Jenny Lewis, Monmouthshire county council's area manager, said: "Anybody is welcome to take part to declare the bridge open themselves by just turning up on the day.

"It's a gesture to the people of the town who have had to suffer over recent months while the construction work has taken place."

The formal opening of the bridge will take place on Monday morning, March 15, and will be opened to traffic from 1pm.

At the same time the mediaeval bridge will be closed to all through traffic. As soon as the old bridge is closed to traffic, an archaeological survey will be undertaken to see what is under the tarmac.

All the modern signage from the ancient building will be removed and the guttering on the building repositioned.

The county council has appointed a project team to oversee the pedestrianisation and regeneration of the old bridge and has already been sourcing local stone for rolled aggregate for the new surface of the road.