The Princess Royal has officially opened the £145 million Gull Wing Bridge – the largest rolling bascule bridge in the world.

Anne pressed a button to open the distinctive crossing, which spans Lake Lothing in Lowestoft, Suffolk, triggering the lifting of the hydraulic cylinders to allow the Excelsior, a traditional Lowestoft fishing smack, to pass through.

Her arrival on Tuesday afternoon was delayed by almost an hour due to disruptions caused by bad weather.

Anne peers up at the
Anne peers up at the gull wings of the bridge (Joe Giddens/PA)

The King’s sister, dressed in a red jacket, tartan skirt and knee high boots, donned a beige overcoat and red scarf for her walk across the bridge in the chilly conditions.

During her tour of the long-awaited crossing, she was seen standing and peering up at the bascule span’s huge white posts – which resemble the wings of a gull and inspired local children to come up with its name.

Anne met Jack Baldry, 16; and Hayden Nicholls and Eva Ainslie, both 15; from Lowestoft, who coined the name “Gull Wing” as part of a competition for nearby schools.

Anne meeting people during the engagement on Tuesday afternoon
Anne during the engagement on Tuesday afternoon (Joe Giddens/PA)

The trio were in Year 6 pupils at the town’s Somerleyton Primary School when they originally suggested the idea.

Funding for the landmark was first announced in 2016 and construction began four years ago, with delays before it eventually opened for use in September.

Members of the public, wrapped up in coats, hats and scarves, gathered to see the royal visitor.

The Gull Wing Bridge in Lowestoft, Suffolk, the largest rolling bascule bridge in the world, lifted using hydraulic cylinders
The wings of the Gull Wing Bridge in Lowestoft, Suffolk, the largest rolling bascule bridge in the world, lifted using hydraulic cylinders (Joe Giddens/PA)

The third bridge across Lake Lothing, it was built to reduce traffic congestion in the town, regenerate the area and attract investment for the local economy.

It is open to pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles and is 345 metres long.

Anne, 74, spent five nights in hospital in the summer after suffering concussion and minor head injuries in a horse-related incident on her Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire.

She recuperated at home before returning to public duties less than three weeks later.