WORK to remove a shocking yellow paint job from Upton Bridge is set to begin this month.

People were shocked when a muchvaunted paint job left the town’s river bridge a dazzling lemon yellow colour in November.

Worcestershire County Council admitted it knew the colour was wrong, but said it was forced to go ahead with the work because of its commitment to reopen the bridge over the Christmas period and in order to protect the metalwork.

Now, contractors working on the bridge are preparing to paint it once again, this time in the duchess blue and gold colour scheme that was originally chosen during a public vote last summer.

Upton’s mayor Andrea Morgan has been keeping a close eye on the situation to ensure there are no more mistakes.

At her insistence, samples of three different shades of gold have been painted on the side of the bridge to determine the most appropriate shade.

“After what happened before I have requested to be shown exactly what is going to happen before anything is done,” she said. “The council has been very co-operative. We were satisfied with the colours they presented and the one we have chosen is the most “classic gold” colour of the three.”

Jon Fraser, customer and community manager at the council’s highways department, said the re-painting would be carried out alongside planned carriageway lighting work to minimise disruption.

This is expected to start around Monday, January 16, once nearby electrical work has been completed.

Re-surfacing of the bridge will then take place during night-time closures between Monday, February 27 and Monday, March 5. An official opening will take place later in the year.