A famous beauty spot which has immortalised in Game of Thrones has been defaced by white lines painted down the middle of the road by bungling contractors.

The Dark Hedges, a short stretch of road in Northern Ireland lined by beech trees, attracts thousands of visitors because of its atmospheric appearance and TV fame.

But last week, broken white wines were painted in the middle of the track, leading to an uproar from locals keen to preserve the unique site.

Defaced: The atmospheric Dark Hedges in Northern Ireland had a line painted down the middle of the road

Iconic: The road is known for being the Kingsroad in Game of Thrones, pictured

Within just a few days, officials was forced to admit that the move had been a mistake, and workmen today returned to the road to remove the markings.

Some residents fear that the removal process will leave unsightly marks - adding to the damage done to the road by storms and an influx of tourists.

The Dark Hedges, near Armoy in County Armagh, has long been known as one of the most spectacular landmarks in Northern Ireland.

It found international fame when it was featured as one of the locations in Game of Thrones, the fantasy television series which is mostly filmed in the province.

The path was used as the Kingsroad, a track running much of the length of the land of Westeros which characters use to travel between the continent's Seven Kingdoms.

Inappropriate: Locals were shocked to see the lines appear in the road with no prior warning

Blunder: Officials admitted that the painting was a mistake by contractors and vowed to fix it

Photographers spoke of their shock at spotting the white lines which were painted down the road with no warning.

Angela Cunning told the Belfast Telegraph: 'I just could not believe what I was seeing. It not only spoils it for photographers but even for visitors just visiting to view the beautiful scene.'

The Department for Regional Development said that overzealous contractors had painted more than they were supposed to, and vowed to undo the damage.

A spokesman said: 'Following completion of a small resurfacing scheme along a 200m stretch of the Bregagh Road at the Dark Hedges, the white lining at the junction with the Ballinlea Road was extended in error.

U-turn: Workers could today be seen blasting the paint off the surface of the Dark Hedges road

Picturesque: The dramatic landscape is one of the best-known beauty spots in Northern Ireland

'The contractor has since been instructed to remove the line, and we expect this to be completed by tomorrow. The white lining will be burned off by the contractor.

'Whilst there is the potential for some residual marking to the carriageway as a result of the removal, we are confident that, given the time of year and the number of vehicles using the Bregagh Road that any such marks will disappear soon.

'DRD will continue to monitor the condition of the surface over the coming weeks, and will take further action to repair the road if necessary.'