A council said it is being forced to foot a £4.3 million bill for a bat bridge and tunnel in order to protect a rare bat species that has appeared in the area.

Lincolnshire County Council claimed it was disputing the costs for the “ridiculous” bridge and tunnel which it has been told must be built in order to go ahead with road construction near Lincoln.

It previously claimed that Natural England would object to the planning application for the construction if action was not taken. But the public body said it gave no direction that such measures have to be taken and never required the structure to be built.