The A1 at Brampton will be fully closed in both directions for part of the weekend to enable a redundant bridge to be demolished as part of the £1.5 billion upgrade of the A14.

Diversions will be in place while the road is shut, which will take place from 8pm on Saturday to 3pm on Sunday.

The bridge which is being knocked down links Brampton to Grafham and was built around 40 years ago to replace a dangerous crossing point on the A1.

It is being replaced by a bridge 50 metres longer than the original to cross 12 lanes of carriageway at a point where the new A14 and A1 come together.

The old bridge was not wide enough to allow the upgraded road to pass underneath.

A ceremony to mark the opening of the replacement bridge took place on Monday, enabling engineers to prepare for the demolition while maintaining a link between the two communities.

They will use machines to nibble away the concrete on the old bridge while preventing damage to the carriageway of the A1 underneath.

During the closure drivers travelling north on the A1 will be diverted along the A428, A1198 and A14, with the reverse applying for motorists going south. There will be temporary traffic lights on the new Brampton Road bridge.

Highways England is upgrading a 21 mile stretch of the A14 between Huntingdon and Cambridge, with a 17 mile bypass south of Huntingdon and a major junction near Brampton.

The scheme features 34 bridges and main structures and is set to open in 2020. The viaduct above Huntingdon railway station is to be demolished as part of the project.