Police were called to help free a lorry that became wedged underneath a railway bridge this morning.

The articulated lorry became stuck under the bridge in Church Road, Offham at around 8am.

Network Rail, which owns the bridge, sent engineers to the scene to carry out safety checks.

Trains passing overhead between Borough Green station and West Malling station had to be slowed down before it could be given the all-clear, causing delays along the line.

A Network Rail spokesman said they were alerted by someone from the nearby Offham Primary School.

He said: “It was a curtain-sided lorry. It was wedged underneath and to get it out they deflated the tyres.

“The bridge was scraped, but otherwise it was clear.”

Despite the disruption, Kent Police said the incident had not impacted on the movement of traffic.

A spokeswoman for the nearby Offham Primary School confirmed children had arrived on time for the start of the day.

The lorry was freed and bridge declared safe by 9am, at which point normal services resumed on the railway line.