PAPER made in the Lake District has been used in a jaw-dropping stunt set up to celebrate the 45th birthday of an iconic British car.

A Range Rover has driven across a paper bridge specially constructed using the material made by James Cropper plc, of Burneside.

The unique freestanding bridge was commissioned for the 13th China International Automobile Exhibition which is being held in Guangzhou from November 20 to 29.

It was built in collaboration with artist Steve Messam, who made a pedestrian bridge over a stream in the heart of the Lake District, using red paper from the Burneside firm as part of an art installation in May this year.

His latest five-metre bridge, constructed solely from paper and completely free from glue or bolts, was built using Natural Crystal 330gsm high-quality white paper produced by James Cropper Plc – which also celebrates its own landmark 170-year anniversary this year.

It took three days to build, using 54,390 sheets of paper in order to support the vehicle.

Artist Steve said: “Paper structures capable of supporting people have been built before but nothing on this scale has been attempted.

"It’s pushing engineering boundaries and the ease and composure with which the vehicle negotiated the arch was genuinely breathtaking.”

Chris Brown, commercial director at James Cropper, said: “It was an honour to collaborate with fellow British manufacturers to be a part of this world-first, which puts our paper’s durability to the ultimate test.”

The James Cropper Group has well-established links with the automotive and engineering sector via its Technical Fibre Products (TFP) division, which manufactures non-woven materials from carbon, glass and polymer fibres, used in the production of lightweight composites for car manufacturing.