BUNGLING workmen have fixed warning signs on a railway bridge in the wrong place.

The reflective chevrons, should alert motorists on Darlington's Albert Road as they approach the East Coast main line railway bridge.

But the warning signs have been mounted a foot higher than the bottom edge of the bridge, above faded old versions lower down.

John Singh, proprietor of Abba Taxis in Darlington, said the bridge was a potential death trap and that any accident there could have a catastrophic knock-on effect on the busy rail route.

He said: "If a tall lorry comes through there late at night, the driver may think the bridge is higher than it actually is.

"If that bridge was knocked down by a lorry, it could cause a nasty accident on the main rail line."

Mr Singh said the reflectors had been installed last month.

"All my drivers were coming in and saying how stupid it was," he said. "They are convinced it is an accident waiting to happen."

A spokeswoman for Darlington Borough Council said the bridge belonged to Railtrack.

She said: "We have no record of having put up reflectors on the bridge in the last year, but we will be looking into it.

"There are signs leading up to the bridge warning drivers of large vehicles how low the bridge is.

"It would have to be a very incompetent driver who did not see the signs."

But a spokeswoman for Railtrack also denied responsibility for the reflectors.

She said: "It is the council who put up road markings and it is not our responsibility."

She said if any official complaints were made to Railtrack from the public then an engineer would be sent out to check the bridge.

Rail bridge safety expert John Knapton said: "I haven't seen the bridge, but if it is particularly low, it could be dangerous.

"It does seem a bit odd that whoever put the reflectors up put them above where the bridge starts.

"If they are that high up it is unlikely a large vehicle's headlights will reflect off them anyway.