Plaque unveiled in memory of campaigner at official opening of new Lancing bridge

Sean McShane, who passed away in 2015, started campaigning back in 2014 for the bridge to become accessible.

Local residents including his wife Lynda, Geoff Patmore of West Beach Residents Association, and community conservation group, World of Widewater, carried on the campaign in his memory.

Sean spent many happy hours at Widewater, doing his daily crossword or enjoying the wildlife.

However this came to a halt once health issues prevented him from walking and he discovered that the steps up to the bridge were not wheelchair-friendly.

The old timber bridge had stairs leading up to it meaning it was not easily accessible for people with pushchairs or those dependent on wheelchairs.

Frank Fletcher, 74, a member of the World of Widewater committee, said: “There was a major breakthrough in 2016; West Sussex County Council (WSCC) agreed to access for all and held public consultations and developed plans to include a new bridge.

“In 2020, Adur District Council (ADC) and WSCC combined and finally completed new access for all and the new bridge was delivered in 2021.

“Without Sean’s tenacity this access for all to Widewater Lagoon Nature Reserve would not have happened.”

The campaign resulted in a new bridge which has a slope and is made of special fibreglass material.

This means that the new bridge will not need re-painting and the material will not rot.

Sean’s wife, Lynda, unveiled a plaque commemorating him and his work towards the bridge.

Frank, in memory of Sean, said: “Sean would have loved that – the grey, the mizzle, the sun, the wind and the spirit of community coming together.”