A NEWPORT father was delighted when he saw pictures in the Argus of the crane which will be lifting the £5 million Usk footbridge into place.

David Allen had bought his 13-year-old son Daniel a 4ft working replica of the same crane for £40 a month ago on e-Bay.

"I saw the pictures in the Argus and realised we've got our own one right here," said Mr Allen, who lives in Torridge Road, Bettws.

The real crane is Britain's largest and will arrive in Newport aboard 48 lorries, with ten a day coming on to site from Wednesday.

Once it has been assembled a team of 30 will then use the crane to lift the 850-tonne bridge structure into place.

Work on the bridge is due to be finished by the end of June.

The only potential stumbling block is the weather - with a 107m (about 350ft) boom the crane would be unsafe to use in strong winds.

During the lifting, scheduled for May 1, Usk Way will be closed from the Newport centre roundabout to the Granville Street roundabout.

A diversion will run via Kingsway, Commercial Road, George Street and Lower Dock Street. Emlyn Street will be residents-only access.