An historic village, famed for its medieval castle and salmon fishing, is stepping away from the traditional by adopting a modern fix for an age-old problem.

Recycled plastic has been used to replace a flight of rotten wooden steps on a steep footpath in Goodrich.

Will Steel, Network Regulation Manager, at Balfour Beatty said: “This is the first time recycled plastic has been used on this scale in the county.

“This section of the footpath is in a damp and sheltered spot and previous timber repairs had rotted very quickly, resulting in the need to close the path to the public.

"This is a good use for a recycled material and, although it is more expensive, it is expected to be more resilient to the conditions and last for up to 40 years, many times longer than timber.

"The path is likely to get some heavy use given that it provides a link from Symonds Yat to the popular Wye Valley Walk.”