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The top was ripped from the top of a lorry as it attempted to go under a Swansea railway bridge.

The vehicle was travelling through Gowerton on Saturday morning when it went under the railway bridge that crosses Victoria Road, close to the rugby club.

But the vehicle was too tall to safely pass under the bridge, which has signs warning of its 3.3metre, or 11 foot, height limit.

The top of the vehicle was torn away, sending debris all over the highway.

Trains passing along the route overhead were subject to reduced speed for some time after the incident as a precaution.

Window cleaner Andy O’Flanagan was working close to the bridge when the lorry collided with it.

(Image: Phil Davies)

He said: “I didn’t see it but I heard an almighty bang and I thought ‘what the hell is that?’

“I have lived in Gowerton since the early eighties, and this is a repetitive thing, but I can’t see a way of preventing it, unless there is more signage perhaps.

“Just one simple mistake can cause chaos, and has the potential to cause significant structural damage to the bridge.”

The shocking near miss when a lorry crossed the centre line of the road:

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In addition to the height limit displayed on the bridge, large yellow signs with flashing lights are situated either side warning drivers of over height vehicles to turn back.

But some suggest the yellow signs have been situated too close to the bridge, giving drivers of tall vehicles little time to turn back after having seen them.

Gowerton councillor Susan Jones said: “My personal opinion is that the flashing lights are too near to the bridge. It gives drivers nowhere to go.

“I have asked highways to look at the issue, because we often have vehicles striking the bridge.

“It has the potential to cause injury, although fortunately I don’t think anyone was hurt this time”.

Last year, rail services between West Wales and Swansea were delayed after a vehicle hit the railway bridge in January.

A Network Rail spokesman said: “At 9.15am we were made aware of a vehicle strike on the bridge.

“Having initially put overhead trains on reduced speed as a precaution, trains returned to normal within the hour.

“An inspection of the bridge resulted in no damage being found.”