Truckers slavishly following their satellite navigation all the way from Poland are getting stuck in a country lane.

The articulated lorry drivers are being directed along a narrow, twisting, unclassified road between Cononley and Skipton - already closed for a repair to a culvert.

It means the huge vehicles are having to be reversed up to a quarter of a mile along Woodside Lane and Skipton Road, to turn round.

Most of the victims are Polish, have little or no English and are without maps. They are ignoring or are unable to read North Yorkshire County Council notices at both ends of the road, warning there is no through route.

David Gulliver, clerk to Cononley Parish Council, said the council had notified North Yorkshire County Council of the problem.

He said: "The fact the road is closed is just a coincidence. The point is that in the last few weeks these lorries have been trying to get through. The drivers appear to be Polish who are following their satellite navigation and getting stuck.

"They are being directed through Cononley on a route between Kildwick and Colne.

"Even if the road was not closed, it is totally unsuitable for such large lorries."

Councillor Lois Brown, of Skipton Road, said the problem had increased in recent weeks. She said: "One driver was trying to get to Nelson in Lancashire. We have to move cars which are parked along the road and help direct the lorries back.

"It is dangerous to people, to cars parked along the road and to houses."

Her neighbour, Alan Parker, said the drivers were focused on their sat-nav and not seeing the signs warning the road was closed.

He said: "They are nearly always foreign vehicles and the drivers indicate it is their sat-nav which has taken them up the road.

"They don't have maps and are completely lost."

It was impossible to reverse, and they had to be directed back along the road as much as a quarter of a mile to where they could turn round, he added.

Woodhouse Lane is the main route between Cononley and Skipton. It has been closed since March 27 to enable North Yorkshire County Council to repair a culvert which carries a beck under the road. The job was due to be completed this week but the deadline has been extended another seven days.

Retired head teacher Douglas Read, of Skipton Road, Cross Hills, said he feared that one day the corner of his house could be struck.

"Some of the lorries reverse into this access road and pulling back out is a close thing to my house," he said.

The trucks had also caused damage to the road surface.

A county council spokesman said: "Unfortunately the work was found to be more involved than originally envisaged which has extended the job."

Everything was being done to complete the work as soon as possible.

He said the council would investigate the problem and check that the signs in the area warning of the closure were appropriate.

"That is all we can do. It is up to the drivers to take note of the warnings," he added.

e-mail: clive.white@bradford.newsquest.co.uk