A LARGE hole which appeared overnight in a bridge was most likely caused by a road accident.

Yarm Bridge has been closed to pedestrians since Sunday morning after the 6ft gap appeared.

Stockton Borough Council has made the bridge safe and work to repair the damage is under way.

Officers at the council believe the hole was caused by a road traffic accident - but they have no record of the accident and neither do Cleveland Police or Cleveland Fire Brigade.

Gwen Porter, Yarm representative on Stockton South road safety committee, said: "I don't know exactly what caused the hole, but I know efforts have been made for years to get limits imposed on the amount of weight allowed on that bridge.

"If great big holes are appearing, it seems that issue should be looked at again."

David Rigg, whose butcher's shop is in Yarm High Street, said: "I spoke to somebody who told me they walked over the bridge at 9.30pm on Saturday and all was well, but when they went to church the next morning there was a hole.

"There doesn't seem to be any glass or anything and you'd wonder if a vehicle would be able to drive away after an accident like that. It's a real mystery."

A council spokesman said last night: "We are dealing with a contractor to make repairs to the bridge and, while the footpath is closed to pedestrians for safety reasons, we expect to have it open by tomorrow evening."