Footpaths leading to a bridge, which collapsed onto the M20 at the weekend, will be closed for about six months.

Kent County Council’s Public Rights of Way team has closed the paths and applied for an order to keep them shut for six months.

However, they can be opened sooner if work is finished earlier or the council can apply for another closure order if work takes longer.

The authority will liaise with Highways England, which is replacing the footbridge.

The closures will prevent public access to the damaged bridge, which joined the north and south parts of East Street, near Addington.

The footpath was initially taped off by KCC’s highways team immediately after the collision on Saturday, but this was a temporary measure.

The footbridge was ripped in half just after midday when it was hit by a lorry carrying a digger.

The road was shut for more than 30 hours, reopening at 7pm on Sunday.

While traffic queued on the motorway, waiting to be turned around and directed off the road by police, some people played football on the empty carriageway while one woman was spotted walking her dogs between the vehicles.

Earlier in the summer, police issued a warning to drivers and passengers to stay with their vehicles after people played football, hula hooped and lounged in deck chairs when another part of the M20 was closed.