A motorist was horrified to see children clambering along the edge of a footbridge above a busy bypass.

Margot Emsley was driving along the Leybourne and West Malling bypass from Kings Hill towards the M20 when she saw a group of girls holding onto the railings and walking along the bridge.

At first she thought they were walking along the footpath which spans the bypass, and assumed they were within the confines of the railings, but as she drew closer she saw about three of them had climbed over the railings and were on the outside.

She said: "I was horrified, and can’t get the image out of my head. Imagine what it would be like driving along a busy road and a couple of kids dropping down in front of the car. If they had fallen I am in no doubt they would have been killed."

Mrs Emsley reported the incident, which happened at about 1.45pm yesterday (Thursday), to the police, but said measures should be taken to stop children being able to get over the railings and putting themselves and motorists in danger.

She said: "Something should be done about this, I am sure it happens more than just on this one occasion. I have seen railings which are arched over to stop people being able to climb over them and this is what should be done here."

Insp Justin Watts, neighbourhood inspector for Tonbridge and Malling, said: “There is no suggestion that these young people were intent on causing any harm but anyone who is on the wrong side of railings on a bridge is putting themselves, and motorists below, in real danger.”