FISHING is one of those pastimes that offers a chance to relax and de-stress from the rigours of modern life.

But for Dave Gibbons it is causing him so much anxiety that he cannot sleep at night.

As a former soldier, he understands the therapeutic benefits of fishing better than most, which is why, five years ago, he turned his passion into a business.

But now his livelihood is in jeopardy after Bury Council has shut the main access bridge to Waterfarm Fishery.

It is understandable why the action has been taken - the state of the bridge has deteriorated so much that it has now had to be condemned completely.

No-one wants to compromise safety but hopefully a solution can be found that will allow Mr Gibbons to continue making a living.

He has ploughed nearly £200,000 of his own money into the venture so it is clear that he is not some wheeler-dealer hoping to make a quick profit.

“This is my livelihood. I would rather lose everything I have got than give it up,” said Mr Gibbons.

“I have a wife and three kids at home that I am trying to feed. Everything I have saved up over the years has been put into this fishery.”

The bridge is owned by Bovis Homes, which means that Bury Council has no right to carry out repairs or maintenance work to the structure.

To its credit, it has said that it is investigating the possibility of building a new bridge but that takes time; time that Mr Gibbons does not have. He estimates that since the bridge, which links his fishery with Redmere Drive has been blocked, he has lost around 85 per cent of his custom and fears that the business could collapse.

Understandably, anglers, including a number with disabilities, find it impractical to lug their tackle almost half a mile on foot to reach the fishery. A petition asking the council to reconsider closing the bridge has already attracted 1,000 signatures.

Let’s hope it leads to a positive outcome.