GLASGOW is celebrating after winning a share of a £50million Lottery grant to finish the city's Bridge To Nowhere.

It is the biggest UK Lottery grant awarded by a public vote, as revealed in later editions of yesterday's Evening Times.

Around £1m will go towards completing the Glasgow bridge, which stops in mid-air near the Marriott Hotel.

It was one of a number of schemes put forward by sustainable transport charity Sustrans under the name Connect2 in a bid for the People's Millions money.

UK residents were asked to vote for their favourite from the Eden Project in Cornwall; The Edge, Sherwood: The Living Legend; and the Black Country Urban Park.

Connect2 and the Bridge To Nowhere got 42% of the 286,285 votes cast.

The bridge was part of a 1960s scheme as the main pedestrian route across the motorway to the Anderston shopping centre. However, plans for the centre were shelved, and the bridge left half-completed.

Sustrans said the Lotto award was "fantastic".

A spokesman added: "Now we begin working with the Big Lottery Fund to establish the timetable for funding."

Pupils from St Patrick's Primary, Anderston, backed the project by writing letters of support to the city council.

Head teacher Susan O'Donnell said of the cash windfall: "The children will be delighted.

"This bridge will connect our community to the city centre and will take everyone away from the terrible roads surrounding us."

As part of the scheme, 79 communities will benefit from new walking and cycling tracks that aim to improve local travel.

The project involves building bridges, tunnels, crossings and networks of paths.