A LORRY driver tried to throw a motorist off a bridge in a road rage incident, a court heard yesterday.

Barry Oliver believed his truck had the right of way but the car driver beat him to it, said Aisha Wadoodi, prosecuting.

Oliver told the police that he was forced to brake hard and the grille on the front of his lorry came loose, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Both men got out of their vehicles, on the Cod Beck Bridge, on the Dalton to Topcliffe road, North Yorkshire.

Oliver, 44, leapt from his cab, grabbed Robert Bevan, 52, and tried to push him over the side into the river below, shouting "Right, you b*******, you're going."

Mr Bevan who was punched and received a cut from his damaged glasses asked another motorist to note the registration of Oliver's lorry.

A jury later convicted him of assault but cleared him of making a threat to kill in the February 27 incident.

Robin Denny, defending, said it was a lapse in behaviour, as Oliver was not known to be ill-natured or bad tempered.

Oliver, of Hagg Farm, Thirsk, was ordered to do the maximum 240 hours community punishment and to pay £500 compensation and £500 towards prosecution costs.