Safety on the railways is being jeopardised - by rats.

The rodents have been blamed for damaging cables at a controversial level crossing on the Braintree to Witham line.

They have caused the automatic barriers and warning lights to stop working, leaving them down when cars are trying to get through and up when a train went charging down the line.

The problem, at White Notley railway crossing, has sparked fresh fears among residents and commuters about rail safety.

The safety equipment has failed twice in recent days.

In the first incident a rat caused a short-circuit when it touched a high-voltage terminal, putting the level crossing out of action.

But a row blew up after trains continued to run, despite safety barriers designed to prevent cars crossing the line being jammed open.

It took engineers more than three hours to repair the fault.

Parish councillors are calling for the crossing to be manned, like it used to be, to stop a disaster happening.

White Notley and Faulkbourne Parish Council chairman Diane Barber said: "I thought there was supposed to be a back-up system.

"The barriers were open and a train still went through. They said that couldn't happen."

She added: "It's amazing. It's not the wrong sort of snow this time - it's rodents."

Mrs Barber claimed cars coming round a blind bend in the road could have ploughed into a train.

A second power failure on the same day locked barriers in the down position, obstructing the road.

A local resident helped guide drivers as they squeezed their cars between the safety gates and across the track.

Railtrack spokesman Steve Deadman said an investigation had been launched into the second incident.

He stressed it was illegal to drive through crossing barriers when they were down.

He added: "We wouldn't wave people past a red traffic signal. The police should have been called, and then we would have made arrangements to get the vehicles over."

Mr Deadman denied the earlier incident had caused a safety breach. He added it is uncommon for rats to cause problems.

"This one was too inquisitive. He probably stood on his hind legs, touched a terminal and then it's goodbye Mr Rat."

Railtrack have now agreed to meet with parish councillors to discuss their concerns.

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