ACTION is being urged to stop drivers of heavy lorries taking shortcuts through Barnard Castle after a low-loader wagon allegedly caused extensive damage to a bridge.

The listed County Bridge was closed for five hours while Durham County Council highways staff and police worked late into the night on Friday to make it safe.

Stones from the 16th Century bridge, which has a 7.5 tonne weight restriction, fell into the River Tees.

Last night, Teesdale district and Barnard Castle town councillor John Watson said a meeting had been called for Tuesday night to press the highways authority to stop heavy goods vehicles taking shortcuts through the town.

A similar system has been adopted in Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria, where heavy lorries are not allowed entry unless drivers have permits and are delivering to local shops.

Coun Watson said: "We hope that the town councillors and the district councillors will unite to put pressure on for this.

"Kirkby Stephen Town Council has already offered to assist Barnard Castle Town Council by giving us details of how they went about it."

He said a ban would be a short-term solution and he would continue pressing for a town bypass.

Extensive repairs had to be carried out on the Butter Cross in Barnard Castle after a similar incident last year.

Coun Watson said that although there was an alternate route for heavy goods vehicles, some drivers still persisted in driving across the County Bridge.

He said damage to the bridge was substantial and the road would probably have to be closed for repair work.

The low-loader driver has been charged with failing to obey a traffic sign, careless driving, failing to stop and failing to report an accident.

It is believed the damage was caused by the caterpillar tracks on the digger his wagon was carrying.