Repairs to a footbridge are unlikely to ever happen after councils reached a stalemate.

The footbridge in Chapel Street, Halstead, was closed last year by Essex County Council because it was assessed to be too dangerous to be used any more.

The bridge is owned by the Crown Estates, which refuses to do any maintenance or repair work to it.

A council would have to adopt the bridge, and then would be responsible for buying it from the estate and for the repair work.

Despite meetings between Braintree Council, Essex County Council and Halstead Town Council, and calls from residents to see the bridge repaired, none are prepared to take on responsibility.

The bridge will be left to deteriorate.

An Essex County Council spokesman said: “Essex Highways has no jurisdiction over the Halstead footbridge as it is crown property.”

A spokesman from Braintree Council added: “The County Council and the Town Council had both previously written to the Crown Solicitor seeking help from them.

“The Crown Estate was not in a position to help with repair to the bridge.

“Councillor Lady Patricia Newton did offer, on receipt such information as the County Council had, to also write to the Crown Solicitor.

“This information was not received and, therefore, there has been no follow-up.

“It is important to make clear that anyone undertaking repairs to the bridge is effectively taking ongoing responsibility for such repairs.

“All three Councils have been unable to find a solution to this problem.”

Town council clerk Mike Murkin said that with no one willing to fund the bridge repairs, it was going probably going to be left to disintegrate.

“We have looked at buying a new, replacement bridge, but the cost of that would be in the region of £120,000,” he said.

“With the town council and Braintree Council unable to afford to take on the bridge and Essex County Council unwilling to, it is likely that it will never be repaired.”