Villagers have voiced safety fears after a spate of damage caused to a prized medieval bridge by huge delivery lorries using it as a rat run.

The single-track Town Bridge joins both halves of Yalding across the River Beult.

Since November masonry on the edge of the 450ft structure has been bashed five times by large trailers attempting to turn right onto Lees Road.

On Sunday, April 2 a Primafrio vehicle reversed into a stone wall next to Bridge Cottage.

This in turn toppled onto a car parked next to it.

In the most recent incident last Monday the wall was hit again by a different driver for the same company.

Geraldine Brown, chairman of the parish council, is urging companies to use smaller delivery vehicles and says if nothing changes tougher weight restrictions may be imposed on the 14th century bridge.

She said: “We have spent 17 and a half years getting a 7.5-tonne weight restriction through the village and we do not accept companies need deliveries by large vehicles.

“But the big thing is with heavy goods vehicles going backwards and forwards across it – someone could be injured.”

There is no suggestion Spanish firm Primafrio is doing anything wrong using the bridge because an exemption on the weight restriction is in place covering deliveries to local businesses. It is believed the lorries are heading to a site in Kenward Road.

But in the past, on their return journey, lorries have also damaged the Walnut Tree pub’s wall when turning onto High Street.

David Hesketh, lives at Bridge Cottage.

The 52-year-old business consultant said: “Seeing a 42-tonne artic going through the village can be strange but there seems to be more of them in the last year.

“We have become increasingly concerned about safety issues.

“Every day there are problems on that bridge and not just from lorries.”

Tim Chapman, postmaster, agreed, adding: “If the lorries are too large for the road they should not be allowed.”