FED-UP motorist Joe Bangay is facing a massive repair bill after broken traffic bollards on Marlow bridge wrecked his sports car.

Mr Bangay, of Riverwoods Drive, Marlow, has been told his Lotus Elan needs a completely new engine and spoiler costing £8,000 since driving his £25,000 motor over the concrete and metal remains of two road bollards late on New Year's Day.

And the 71-year-old celebrity photographer is fuming because he says there were no warning signs up to warn drivers what was ahead. Mr Bangay, who has owned 15 Lotus cars over the years, said: "I was just coming over the bridge by the Compleat Angler and I heard an almighty bang. I hadn't seen anything but it turned out the engine of my car had been ripped out.

"I'm fed-up because I love my cars. It was a particularly nasty bump in the night which has ruined this one."

Mr Bangay, who had been driving home from the West Country with his wife and dog, called the police immediately at around 9pm. His car was towed away by the AA.

He explained that he saw two other drivers, one in a Renault Clio, caught out by the bollards which he believes were flattened in a traffic accident just before Christmas.

He added: "My wife was very shaken and I think my dog was quite upset.

"I will have to claim on my insurance and I think they'll be looking to claim against the council."

The road accident is the latest in a recent spate of car trouble for Mr Bangay who ended up in a bush two weeks ago when a wheel fell off his other Lotus while he was driving at 50mph.

A spokesman for Buckinghamshire County Council said the bollards were on the Berkshire side of the bridge and therefore fell under the authority of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

Steve Peters, the Royal Borough's highways manager, confirmed the bollards in question were the Royal Borough's responsibility.

He said one incident involving a car had been reported and added: "We have instructed our street lighting engineers to carry out repairs."