A crane crashed into a railway bridge in Carshalton this morning (Thursday, February 25) halting trains and forcing an emergency services response.

The crash happened around 9am on Mill Lane, at the corner with Denmark Road, when a lorry fitted with a large crane collided with the railway bridge.

Images from the scene showed the lorry trapped under the bridge, while damage to the brickwork on the bridge itself was also clearly visible.

National Rail and rail operators Thameslink and Southern all tweeted updates of the incident, which disrupted train services between Carshalton and Hackbridge for several hours.

Emma James, a resident who lives near to the train line that passes over the bridge, told the Sutton Guardian she heard the crash happen on Thursday morning while at home.

"There was a loud crash and so we went outside. The trains had stopped and it was eerily quiet.

"There were loads of police down there and a cordon. The crane was stuck underneath the bridge, it had actually hit it and left a big chunk (of damage)," she said. 

"I felt sorry for the driver, he was sitting on the pavement with his head in his hands," Emma added.

The Carshalton resident said around 1pm that the police cordon has since been lifted, but the crane and lorry remained at the scene.

National Rail meanwhile said the disruption to rail services had meanwhile cleared by 12pm.

A spokesperson for the Met Police told the Sutton Guardian: 

"Police were called to the junction of Mill Lane and Denmark Road, Carshalton at 09:01hrs on Thursday, 25 February following reports that a crane being transported on a truck had struck a railway bridge.

"Officers attended as did representatives from Network Rail. There were no reports of any injuries.

"The road was reopened at around 11:20hrs."