People will have an unmissable opportunity to take a piece of the old Lossiemouth bridge home as an ever-lasting memorabilia next weekend.
Wooden staves from the walkway of the iconic century-old structure will be given back to the community that had always treated it with love and respect.
Lossiemouth community groups thought there would be no better way to commemorate the bridge, the demolition of which took place this year.
Dozens lined up along the esplanade in June to remember the good times of crossing over it to enjoy the golden sands of East Beach as diggers moved in to take the walkway apart.
Around half of the remaining wood has now been donated to Elgin Men’s Shed Association to make two memorial benches.
They will be placed strategically – one of which will be on the Esplanade with a view of where the old bridge was – to stand as a physical tribute to the former crossing.
The rest of the wood – just over 100 planks – will be given away to the public at a special event at Gregory Place Car Park on Saturday, December 10.
Beloved souvenir of old bridge
Rab Forbes, chairman of Lossiemouth Community Development Trust’s bridge committee, said: “We could have done nothing, but it felt like it would just be a waste of an opportunity.
“People loved the old bridge so much – it was too important to the community, and rightly so, to see it just go to scrap or end up chopped up as fire wood.
“We are very much aware of its iconic status and we wanted to offer all those appreciative of the bridge a chance to take a piece of it home as memorabilia.
“What they do with it after is totally up to them, but I’d hope to see them do something creative with it – whether they turn it into a plaque or use it for another memorial bench.”
People will be able to stop by and grab a piece of the old Lossiemouth Bridge between 10am and noon.
Due to the restricted number of pieces, each person will be allowed only one piece.
There will also be a donations box available, with all the proceeds raised during the event going to the Lossiemouth’s children charity, Ladybird Development Group.
Conversation