Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans wants his Donington Park Dunlop bridge to stay in Leicestershire

Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans arrived at Donington Park by helicopter yesterday to discuss the future of the Dunlop bridge.

The breakfast host, who bought the 70ft structure for £312 at auction, said he wanted it to stay in Leicestershire.

He posed for the cameras before meeting track owner Kevin Wheatcroft to talk about possible locations for the bridge.

The 46-year-old said: "I don't know where it would go.

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"We should put it away from the circuit and have a wonderful arch of inspiration that has wonderful things happen underneath it – the Phoenix should rise from the flames.

"It never really crossed my mind to leave it in Leicestershire until we started talking about it on the show this morning. But if Leicester wants to keep the bridge here, then we should keep the bridge here.

"We have to form a society like the Vulcan bomber society and have meetings each year under the bridge – that would be fantastic."

It was the first time the presenter had seen the bridge after buying it at auction at the Goodwood Revival, in West Sussex, last weekend.

He said: "I think it's beautiful, even though it's double the size I thought it was going to be – you could live under there.

"We were going to take it down to Berkshire and erect it in my garden, but if people want it to stay here, it can stay here."

"It's one of the greatest bargains of all time.

"I hadn't planned to buy the bridge. I'd gone up to the Goodwood Revival to have a look at a model car and some other bits and it came up.

"I thought 'wow, wouldn't it be great to own a bridge?'.

"The auctioneer started at £10,000 and then went to £8,000 and then £2,000 and then I just thought 'I'll have that'.

"It redefines the term bargain."

The bridge was dismantled nearly four years ago after work began to bring the site up to Formula 1 standard.

However, former track boss Simon Gillett could not raise the cash to finish the upgrades and the bid failed.

Donington owner Kevin Wheatcroft said: "It's great that Chris is talking about keeping the bridge here in Leicestershire.

"It's one of the most iconic images in racing and it's been here in Castle Donington for more than 30 years."

Donington Park has said that half of all the money raised at the auction will go to Leicester charity Hope Against Cancer.

Me Wheatcroft said: "We're glad that the auction has raised some money for Hope Against Cancer – and because it's Chris who's bought the bridge, it's done wonders for the charity's profile."

Race fans also snapped up the Project Blue Star car for £250; the Donington Park Starkey's Bridge Pirelli clock for £937.50 and the "Feel the Road" Dunlop advertising panel, for £125.

Charity co-ordinator Wendi Stevens said: "We're a local charity and to be linked with Chris is great.

"We've had a long-standing association with Donington and it's great that it continues to support us in this way."