A fathers 4 Justice protest by two men dressed as Batman and Robin on top of a famous bridge which featured in a TV series ended today.

Builder Steve Fletcher, 33, dressed up as the Caped Crusader with his anonymous sidekick for a 10 hour sit-in on top of Middlesbrough's Transporter Bridge, 160ft above the River Tees.

The duo braved strong winds and chilly conditions after scaling a security fence and climbing stairs to the top of the landmark metal bridge at 4am today.

They unfurled banners which read ''Fight crime vote Batman'' while another, against the brilliant blue sky, said ''Caped crusade for justice Kapow Stop family law injustice today.''

The Transporter Bridge starred in the BBC's Auf Wiedersehen Pet which had Oz and the lads dismantle it and ship it across the Atlantic where it was rebuilt on a Native American reservation.

The storyline caused some confusion, as some viewers believed the famous blue bridge, which has become a symbol off Teesside since it opened in 1911, had been taken away.

Cleveland Police kept a close eye on the protest, which did not disrupt traffic as the bridge was closed for maintenance, but neither man was arrested when the came down to earth at about 2pm.

Afterwards Mr Fletcher, of Redhouse, Sunderland told PA News: ''It was a nice, peaceful protest and I was very happy with the way it went off.

''I had my suspicions we would be arrested afterwards but I am pleased we weren't.''

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said officers felt the men were in no danger, there was no complaint from the bridge owners and the protesters did not impede the maintenance work which was going on.

''It all passed peacefully and was very amicable,'' she said.

The demonstration was timed to coincide with the launch of the election campaign of fellow Fathers 4 Justice protester Paul Watson who is standing in the Hartlepool by-election.

Mr Fletcher said: ''It was extremely cold up there and windy.

''The maintenance lads gave us a cup of coffee when we came down.

''We planned it for about a month and then we decided this was the night to do it.''

Mr Fletcher said his accomplice, believed to be from Middlesbrough, did not want to comment.

'''Robin' said he is fit and well and is happy with the way things went,'' he said.

Mr Fletcher held a similar protest on Sunderland's Wearmouth Bridge in July.

He added: ''I am one of thousands of dads who has been badly treated in a court of law.

''The courts are supposed to be there to give guidance to the child, but they are a hindrance.''

The Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge usually provides a regular quarter-hourly service between Middlesbrough and Port Clarence for 18 hours a day.

It remains the largest of the transporter bridges operating worldwide. The bridge is, effectively, two almost independent structures joined at the centre of the river. Each half of the bridge has an anchor span of 140 feet and then cantilevers across the river some 285 feet from the tower leg to meet its twin from the opposite bank..