Who killed Regis Le Bridge? The mysterious case that still baffles

The name made us laugh, the sentiment was heartfelt - and it was the public's top pick. So why did Sunderland's new bridge end up with a name hardly anyone suggested?

- Richard Ord

That's the question people may well ask now yours truly has obtained the full list of the 1,761 public suggestions for naming Sunderland's new Wear bridge - and, spoiler alert, Keel Crossing barely features.

The People's Champion: Regis Le Bridge

Regis Le Bridge, a playful pun on Black Cats boss Regis Le Bris, was by far the funniest and most popular name put forward by the public. Thirty three people suggested naming the bridge after the celebrated Sunderland manager.

Keel Crossing, one of three names shortlisted and the eventual winner in a public vote, didn't even feature in the top five. In fact, only five people thought it worthy of a suggestion.

Oddly, none of the three shortlisted names (Keel Crossing, Wear Crossing and Beacon Bridge) even cracked the top five most popular ideas.

In the case of Regis Le Bridge, it was coshed, weighted with bricks and deposited into the Wear with barely a ripple on the surface.

Here's what you could have won...