Labourers have been photographed carrying building materials across a busy railway track near Bradford on Avon, sparking fears that lives are being put at risk.

Workmen refurbishing a former mill in Avoncliff village have been spotted running across tracks on a bend near Avoncliff Halt, which is used by First Great Western express trains travelling from Bristol to Plymouth, to get to the building as there is no other form of access.

Residents living nearby believe there will be a fatal accident after seeing the trains, which travel at more than 100mph, narrowly miss the workers on several occasions.

One Bradford resident said: “The men are going across the tracks with huge planks of timber for roofing and other building equipment, including scaffolding poles, and there have been several near misses with trains speeding past just seconds after the workmen had got to the other side.

“They are not only putting their lives at risks but train passengers as well.”

The mill is in an isolated location, with the river Avon on one side and railway tracks on the other. It can only be reached across the railway track from a lane off Belcombe Road.

West Wilts Rail Users Group vice-chairman Roger Newman, said: “We completely disagree with the actions of anybody walking along or across the tracks whether it is for leisure or employment.

“The gates where they are crossing are on a blind bend and despite wearing hard hats and visibility jackets it would take a train at least half a mile to slow down.

“They should be stopped immediately.”

Network Rail has confirmed it is looking into whether the mill’s owners, Steven and Ewan Earl, who own S&E Developments and are based in Westwood, have a legal right of way, which dates back to the 1970s.

If they don’t, they face a fine of up to £1,000 for trespassing and could even be prosecuted by the British Transport Police.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: “We take safety issues very seriously and we do not tolerate any actions that will seriously compromise the safe operation of the railway. “Therefore, we have been working with Mr Earl to try to establish his authorised legal rights to access the railway and to ask for his full co-operation to stop any access until that process is completed.

“Mr Earl has been informed of our utmost concerns regarding the work that was carried out and we will continue our dialogues with him to find a way forward as soon as possible.”

The mill had fallen into disrepair after decades of neglect, despite its former owners securing planning permission to turn it into a house in 1976.

According to Wiltshire Council, the Earl brothers, who recently bought the mill, are now planning to use the permission more than three decades on.

A council spokesman said: “As work was started on the refurbishment within five years of the permission being granted, this means it is valid for as long as the building is standing.”

The owners of the mill were out of the country and unable to comment at the time the Wiltshire Times went to press.