A LORRY carrying a skip overturned and spilt its load yesterday after colliding with a bridge.

Police have launched an investigation to find out if the lorry clipped the 12ft railway bridge in Fort Street, Blackburn, at 4.50pm with its loading arm or the load itself.

Railway engineers were on site yesterday to ensure the bridge was still safe. Fire crews first feared a passer-by had been trapped by the lorry when it fell onto a nearside pavement.

Scene officer Peter Ashworth said: "He has come towards the bridge and something was too high so the sheer weight has toppled him over.

"A driver behind him first feared that a passer-by had been trapped. Crews from Accrington and Blackburn worked for two hours to clear the spilt load."

The Frank Barnes Skip was due to be cleared by police last night. The company declined to comment.

PC Simon Bolton of Accrington Road Traffic Unit said: "We are going to have to work out if the arm to life the skip was up before he went under the bridge or whether the impact has forced the arm up beyond the 12ft bridge limit."