Drivers heading east this weekend are warned part of a motorway will be closed while a huge new bridge is lifted into place.

The motorway bridge will be lifted in to place over the M27 near Southampton, replacing two narrow old bridges which are nearing the end of their life.

The new Romsey Road bridge weighs 1,069 tonnes and will be lifted into place using self-propelled modular transporters, which are remote-controlled, self-powered low-loader lorries. These lorries will lift the bridge into place from the carriageway.

The bridge was built in a compound near to the motorway. Building the bridge offsite and moving it into its final position saved what would have been months of overnight closures of the M27.

The work is part of a Highways England project to replace the bridge that carries the A3057 Romsey Road over the M27 northwest of Southampton and is the second of three weekend closures allowing the old bridges to be demolished and the new one installed.

The M27 between junction 3 (for Southampton City Centre) and junction 4 (for the M3) will be closed from 10pm on Friday night and will reopen at 5am on Monday, July 1.

Fully signed diversion routes will be in place throughout the weekend, with separate routes for heavy vehicles.

For light vehicles from the A31, light vehicles will be diverted off at M27 junction 2 to use the A36 and the A3090 through Romsey towards M3 junction 11.