A CALDICOT schoolgirl will see her design for an information panel on the Severn Bridge become reality after winning a competition.

The Institution of Civil Engineers ran the competition asking youngsters to design a poster or information board about the landmark to mark its golden anniversary.

The bridge is 50 years old tomorrow (Thursday), having been officially opened by Her Majesty the Queen on Saturday, September 8 1966.

A new guide to the bridge has just been published by Chepstow Town Council to coincide with the anniversary.

Nine-year-old Angel Ke, of Castle Park Primary School will work with an artist from heritage project A Forgotten Landscape to develop her idea into an interpretation panel after winning the Key Stage Two competition.

Angel will also receive an iPad Mini from sponsors American Bridge International, while fellow Castle Park pupils Max Philpott and Ellie Whittaker, who were runners-up will receive a Meccano Tower Bridge set.

Freya Nunnick and Angel’s sister Amy were runners-up in the Key Stage One competition and will also receive a Meccano set.

A new guide to the history of the bridge has been published to mark the anniversary of what was a ground-breaking piece of engineering and is now a Grade I listed structure.

The guide was written by bridge researcher John Burrows, who produced a similar publication on the 200th anniversary of the old Wye Bridge earlier this year.

The Mayor of Chepstow, Cllr Paul Pavia, said: “The Severn Bridge is world famous and can be seen from all parts of Chepstow where its pioneering road deck was assembled.

“We celebrate 50 years of this iconic, graceful and vital link between Wales and England across the Severn and the Wye.”

Mr Burrows said the thin, aerodynamic deck, which was made in Chepstow in 88 sections and floated to be lifted into place, made the bridge significant globally.

He said: “The bridge deck, by Roberts and Brown, is like an aircraft wing — much thinner, lighter, and less costly than traditional decks.

“First used at Chepstow, then for the Humber Bridge, it is now the world standard for long-span bridges.”

Members of the Institution of Civil Engineers will gather at the Old Ferry Inn at Beachley tomorrow to mark the anniversary and they will also hold a vintage car rally across the bridge.

On Saturday (September 10) vintage bus enthusiasts will recreate the first services to run across the bridge – routes 300 and 301 – between Bristol and Cardiff.

A parade of buses will cross the bridge from Aust Services at 11am and will meet at the Old Ferry Inn.