A German motorist crashed and blocked a tramline after obeying commands from his satellite navigation unit.

The motorist was heading into the German city of Bremen when the "friendly voice from his sat-nav told him to turn left", a spokesman told The Scotsman.

"He did what he was ordered to do and turned his Audi left up over the curb and onto the track of a local streetcar line. He tried to back up off the track but got completely stuck."

Trams were held up for several hours until a crane could be brought in to move the car and clear the line.

This is not the first time that mistakes on satellite navigation systems have proved problematic.

Users have been sent down unsuitable roads and there are concerns that the use of such systems could prove hazardous to others as drivers get distracted.