NEW gates have been installed on the Harnham entrance to Salisbury Cathedral Close after the originals were destroyed by a suspected drink driver.

The carpenter spent about a month working on the repair, replacing just over half the oak timber.

Cathedral spokesman Marie Thomas said: "The new oak will be left to weather and begin to blend in with the older wood relatively quickly.

"Matching the many colours on the gate would have been hard so it is better to let it happen naturally."

The carpenter has coated ithe wood with linseed oil to protect it and has replaced the decorative studding, mostly with original metal, though some new studs have been made.

Ms Thomas added: "The stonework around the gates has been repointed and we took the opportunity to replace the dragon’s teeth at the same time and they are now ready for use."

The historic wooden gates were left hanging off their hinges when a white van smashed through them in the early hours of July 2.

A 51-year-old man from West Dean was arrested on suspicion of failing to stop after a road collision, criminal damage and driving with excess alcohol. He is currently on police bail while inquiries continue.

The Cathedral's clerk of works, Gary Price, said at the time: "I'm disappointed it's happened really not only because the gates are extremely old and so is the stone work but it is extra work.

"I thought somebody had just knocked them. When I got there I was not expecting them to be hanging off their hinges.

"It was carnage like a herd of elephants tried crashing through the gates."

The old wooden gates were believed to be about 80 years old and were previously restored in 1937, while the stonework dates back to the 14th century.