Part of the M20 are closed tonight to allow a new footbridge to be installed.

Highways England shut the coastbound stretch of the motorway between Junction 9 for Ashford and 11 for Hythe from 8pm until 10am tomorrow.

The London-bound stretch between Junctions 11 and 10 is also shut during the same period.

Highways bosses say the bridge - dubbed the Kingsford Street footbridge - will be used by pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders when it opens next summer.

Built by Nusteel Structures in Hythe, 20 people were involved in the building of the structure, which forms part of the new Junction 10a.

Weighing 45 tonnes, it is equivalent to nine hippos.

It will replace the existing Highfield Lane bridge, which will be demolished in late spring or early summer next year, resulting in another weekend closure.

The closure comes days after the stretch between Junction 4 for Leybourne and Junction 6 at Blue Bell Hill was shut so the Teapot Lane footbridge in Aylesford could be replaced.

If high winds put paid to the work this weekend, Highways England says the Kingsford Street bridge will be installed over the weekend of December 8-9.

Signposted diversions will be in place while the bridge is installed.

Junction 10a is expected to open to traffic next autumn.

The M20 has already been reduced to two lanes in both directions around the site of the new junction.

A 50mph limit is also in place - and will stay in force until 2020.