NEWPORT city centre footbridge reopened today after closing for cleaning.

The City Footbridge, opposite Friars Walk in the city centre, closed on Monday April 9 for cleaning work to be carried out.

It stayed closed from 8am to 4pm for nine weekdays to allow specialist contractors to scale the struts and blast off years of dirt and grime with high powered hoses.

The bridge's boardwalk was also given a spring clean.

The bridge was due to be off limits to pedestrians during those hours during until Monday April 23, but has reopened early with the work seemingly complete.

South Wales Argus:

(Picture: Kevin Ward Media)

Businesses on the eastern side of the river were unhappy at what they said was a lack of notice given by the council, but the council explained the short notice was due to a marine licence being issued by Natural Resources Wales on the evening of Friday April 6.

According to the owners of Hi Coffee and Horton's Coffee House, both on Millennium walk, their trade took a hit as a result of the closure, which affected their peak trading hours.

A spokesman for Newport City Council said: "We are pleased that the cleaning of the City Footbridge has been completed ahead of schedule and has re-opened.

"The council would like to thank the contractors for their work.

"It was necessary to close the bridge during the daytime while the work was being carried out and the council, with the contractors, did what they could to minimise the length of the programme."