This was the moment a removal van attempted to drive under a rail bridge before "folding up like a pack of cards".

The wedged-in van in Lower Downs Road caused "traffic chaos" in the Raynes Park area on Saturday morning after its driver misjudged the height of the rail bridge.

It is not the first time this has happened - in August a Waitrose delivery van got stuck under the bridge, with an Arnold Clark delivery van falling victim to the 7ft nine inch bridge three months later.

Aug 28: Delivery van damaged after getting stuck under railway bridge in Raynes Park

Nov 4: Trailer 'wedged in' under railway bridge the latest casualty of Lower Downs Road

Chris Larkman, who lives around the corner in Bronson Road, said: "This was one quite spectacular because, as you can see from the photo, the van hit it [the bridge] and folded up like a pack of cards.

"They had to reduce it to a flat pack by backing it up and pulling it out backwards."

Police and Network Rail officers joined forces with the van's drivers to pull the van out from under the bridge.

Mr Larkman, 69, said it took "several hours" to remove it, causing road and rail traffic disruption until about 2pm.

Five trains were instructed to drive more slowly over the bridge while a structural engineer assessed the damage, causing journey delays of about five minutes per train.

Mr Larkman said the recurring problem was "a real pain" but said he could not think of a solution apart from installing a metal height restriction frame ahead of the bridge entrance, which would cause an eye-sore.

The bridge already has multiple yellow and black signs as well as flashing signs warning of its height limit.

A Network Rail spokesman said: "There was no damage found [to the bridge] and most passengers would not have been aware there was a problem at all."

He added: "While our bridges are protected by multiple signs and in some cases even protective steel beams, we are still heavily reliant on road drivers making the right decision and knowing the heights of their vehicles."

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