IT has long been a hotspot for Southampton residents wanting to idle away a few hours by the River Itchen at Mansbridge.

In despite of this Mansbridge once had a terrible reputation as a traffic bottleneck as cars, lorries and vans all squeezed their way over the river on the old stone bridge that once carried the busy A27.

This photograph was taken on September 27,1952, around the time when workmen took the plunge in sturdy waders to strengthen the river bank,weakened by water erosion,with wood and concrete and also make the waterside path safe from collapse.