SHOCKING footage of a lorry smashing into a railway bridge has emerged.

The accident around noon on Thursday, October 4, involved a serious height misjudgement by the driver on the A49 Beeston High Road at Tarporley.

The HGV struck the underside of the bridge before grinding to a standstill and lurching over.

Trains had to be temporarily halted on the Crewe-Chester line while a Network Rail structural engineer checked the bridge was safe.

Network Rail has now issued a warning, revealing that five such accidents take place each day, costing taxpayers £23 million a year.

Phil James, head of operations for Network Rail’s London North Western route, said: “Drivers need to know the height of their vehicle, not guess. In short: Wise up, size up.

“Dangerous incidents like this one at Tarporley cause huge inconvenience to train passengers and to motorists, not to mention the cost to the taxpayer.

"The really galling thing is they’re all entirely avoidable. Roadside signage is provided to warn motorists on the height of our bridges.”