BEAR Scotland's upcoming guided tours of the Forth Road Bridge, as part of Doors Open Days, are fully booked following an overwhelming response from the public.

Doors Open Days is Scotland's largest free festival celebrating heritage and the built environment. It offers free access to over a thousand venues across the country each September.

BEAR Scotland received over 1,000 applications within a few hours of its free guided tours being announced on the Forth Bridges Facebook page.

With only a few hundred spaces available, places were allocated on a first come first served basis, with the lucky applicants contacted last week.

The one-hour minibus tours will stop at points of interest along the deck before visiting one of the anchorage chambers on the north side of the bridge, where the main cables are anchored into the rock. Commentary will be provided by experienced members of staff from BEAR Scotland, Transport Scotland's operating company for the Forth Road Bridge.

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The Forth Bridges exhibition at Transport Scotland's Contact and Education Centre will also be open to the public from 9am until 5pm on Saturday 24 September, featuring special exhibits and educational activities for young people. Advance booking is not necessary for the exhibition, or to take a walk across the bridge.

Everyone who attends on 24 September will have the chance to enter a charity prize draw for a once-in-a-lifetime trip for two to the top of the Forth Road Bridge's main towers, with tickets priced at £10 each and all money raised going to BEAR Scotland's national charity partner the Scottish SPCA.

Andy Thompson, BEAR Scotland's Operating Company Representative for South East Scotland, said: "We've had a fantastic response to our plans to offer guided tours of the Forth Road Bridge on Doors Open Day.

"The tours are now fully booked, however no booking is required to visit the exhibition in the Forth Bridges Contact and Education Centre and enter our charity raffle for a trip to the top of the Forth Road Bridge's main towers.

"BEAR Scotland staff are looking forward to welcoming the public and sharing our passion for maintaining this iconic structure."