A man's warnings about a poorly signed low bridge proved prophetic when a lorry smashed off its top.

This morning the driver of a red lorry misjudged the height of the bridge over Roding Road in Loughton.

The force of the collision caused the HGV's front end to buckle upwards and the side to warp.

In September Poet's Place resident Les Wynn warned that lorry drivers regularly miss signs and get stuck under the bridge as a result.

When Essex County Council was told about this, a spokesperson said: "The appropriate warning signs are in place advising drivers of the height limit on this bridge.

"However, improvements to signs and regulations have been carried out elsewhere in Essex following similar issues.

"Therefore the best way to take this forward would be for the individual to contact their local Essex County Councillor and get their support to ask the Epping Forest Local Highway Panel to consider improvements."

Four days later some loose kerbstones were removed, the area was swept and three temporary bollards were placed by a kerb damaged by a turning lorry.

Mr Wynn pointed out that a warning sign approaching the bridge had not bee cleaned, despite being too dirty to read.

He said: "Almost every day a lorry will turn into Roding Road only to find the low bridge.

"Today this driver smashed the top of his lorry.

"It’s time Essex County Council erected suitable warning signs."