A hardy group of workers braved dizzying heights on Thursday to carry out maintenance work on the Kingsferry Bridge.

This picture shows a Network Rail engineer clinging to the bridge’s huge supports 120 ft above the water.

It was snapped by Barry Crayford, a volunteer lifeboat press officer at RNLI Sheerness.

Network Rail spokesman Chris Denham described the work as “routine maintenance”.

He said: “We have a crew based there permanently to look after what is a very specialised and very important piece of equipment.

"We carry out work on the structure on an ongoing basis to keep it in good condition.”

• Mr Denham also said suggestions the bridge, which opened in 1960, could become automated were untrue.