SAT navs are being blamed for sending heavy lorries thundering down a narrow back lane between Hullbridge and Battles-bridge.

Wing mirrors have been ripped off cars and body work scratched, as the articulated lorries squeeze down Watery Lane, forcing motorists to drive into hedgerows to avoid crashing.

The lane has a three-tonne limit but sat navs and poor signage at the Battlesbridge end of the road means lorry drivers do not necessarily know they are doing wrong.

So Essex Police and Essex County Council have been relying on motorists and residents to pass on registration details of any vehicle they catch along that road.

PC Steve Judd said: "I've been compiling a database and we send out warning letters to the keeper or company owner to let them know of the restrictions.

"If they are caught a second time they will get a fine.

"It is a very winding, narrow road and although there have been no serious accidents, lorries have been known to reverse to get around a tight bend."

Pat Moore and her husband Peter say more than £1,000 damage was caused to their new Citroen Picasso by a lorry in Watery Lane, in July this year.

Mrs Moore, 66, of Tower Park mobile home site, said: "It is very, very narrow and dangerous - you can only just get two cars through, let alone a car and a great big lorry. They shouldn't be coming through there at all but I don't think it is just down to sat navs, I think the drivers ignore the signs."

Anyone who spots a lorry driving illegally along Watery Lane can e-mail steve.judd@essex.pnn.police.uk with the date, time and registration number.