COUNCIL bosses today admitted signs surrounding a notorious Ribble Valley bridge could be misleading drivers into thinking their lorries could fit underneath.

Road engineers at Lancashire County Council believe a dip in the road under the Whalley Road, Langho, railway bridge is causing all the problems because long-axled lorries simply pass over it instead of travelling into it.

A crash involving a lorry which hit the roof of the bridge last week was the eighth major accident at the blackspot in recent years -- and prompted calls for action before someone was killed.

The county council has now pledged to re-paint warning chevrons on the bridge as well as introducing warning markings on the road and trimming bushes to give drivers a better view of the area.

When the issue was raised at a meeting of Ribble Valley Council's community committee this week, county area surveyor Dennis Wright told Ribble Valley Council that signs stating that the height of the bridge from the road surface was 13.6ft, were accurate.

But he added: "The problem is that there is a dip under the bridge which longer-axled lorries span like a plank of wood rather than travel through like a smaller vehicle would.

"This effectively pushes up the lorry and reduces the height it has."

Councillors have now called for new measures to be introduced to make the bridge safer.

Coun Graham Sowter said: "The path along both sides of the road is well used by children going to school.

"I know personally of several people who witnessed last week's accident and, had they been much closer, were in danger of being killed.

"Someone will die there unless something is done. I suggest that a pole be placed across the road which will hit lorries which are too big to fit through. The trees also need pruning so the signs can be seen."