Do you know the collective term for a group of bridges?

Neither did Tabitha and Richard Northrup, the owners of Farncombe-based Barnwood Carpentry. So they set up a Facebook competition to come up with one.

"We love collective nouns: we're a bit geeky like that," Tabitha told Nub News. "We were talking about what the collective word would be for bridges and we couldn't think of one, so we thought we would run a little competition and engage the Facebook hive mind."

"Lots of people were coming up with ideas, and when Godalming Town Mayor Penny Rivers saw it, she offered to judge the competition. and donated a prize."

And the winner was... a bounty of bridges: the prize claimed by two winners who came up with the idea simultaneously on two different Facebook sites.

They have won a little Godalming-themed prize which has been wrapped and accompanied by a handwritten card from Mrs Rivers. They will also, naturally, each receive a Bounty bar in acknowledgement of their contribution to the English language!

The subject of collective nouns cropped up while Tabitha and Richard were reminiscing about the work their company carried out on Boarden Bridge in 2018.

The wooden pedestrian bridge, which runs alongside the road bridge in Borough Road, was extensively repaired and refurbished two years ago with funds from the Peter Caudle Memorial Trust. Richard met Penny Rivers at the rededication ceremony.

Barnwood Carpentry specialises in construction carpentry: everything from floating shelving and bespoke storage to pergolas and sporting pavilions - and, of course, bridges.

Richard and his team carry out the work and Tabitha does the organising and the paperwork.

Refurbishing Boarden Bridge was a fitting job for the company to undertake, she says.

"We both grew up in Godalming and we both remember playing Poohsticks on that bridge," she said.

"It is nice to think that we have played a part in ensuring it is there for future generations to play Poohsticks too."

Barnwood Carpentry is registered with Checkatrade. Click here to visit the company website.