CRUMBLED away by the force of December’s floods, the road connecting Bywell and Ovingham has been closed to traffic for months.

The C253 river road was seriously eroded by the fury of the Tyne, made torrential by Storm Desmond.

Sections of the road have collapsed, and it has been impassable for traffic.

However Northumberland County Council is in negotiations with a local landowner to purchase land in order to re-position the road.

The council is in talks to buy land north of the existing road in order to move the road further from the water.

A spokesperson from Northumberland County Council said: “We are in negotiations to buy land between Bywell Bridge and Ovingham, so that Bywell Road can be re-positioned away from the water, following the landslide during Storm Desmond.

“The road is currently open to pedestrians and cyclists but not cars - and we see this as the best way to get the road back in business.”