A truck driver and a passenger had a lucky escape this morning when their vehicle crashed through railings and almost fell off the Regional Road bridge just before the north-bound tunnel entrance in St Julians.

The accident happened at about 8 a.m.

The truck, a Toyota Dyna, ended up with its driver cabin jutting out from the bridge. Concrete debris and railing rained on the slip-road below, but fortunately did not hit anything.

No other vehicle was involved and the truck, which belongs to an aluminium manufacturer, appears to have skiided on the wet road.

People who were driving by immediately stopped to give assistance. According to an eyewitness they held down the flat-bed truck from its back while the driver - a 49-year-old man from Fgura, and the passenger - a 25-year-old man from Valletta - scrambled out of the cabin through a window. They were treated for shock at the Gzira health centre.

Part of the road was closed immediately following the accident and a long traffic jam formed, also on the other side of the road.

All north-bound lanes were later closed to enable a crane to be positioned to lift the truck. The truck was back on all its wheels at 10 a.m.

Policemen and civil protection staff were on the scene to render assistance.

The bridge was reopened for traffic at about 2 p.m.