CAR satellite navigation systems are driving motorists crazy - in a place called Crackpot.

The "sat-navs" are sending unsuspecting motorists on terrifying detours along unclassified tracks in the Yorkshire Dales.

Cars, minibuses and even large delivery wagons are attempting to negotiate a narrow country lane near a cliff edge, which runs from Crackpot, in Swaledale - after being directed there by the equipment.

Often the vehicles get stuck trying to reverse and have to be rescued by farmers. Some motorists have even ended up with one wheel hanging over the edge.

The lane, which meets up with a road over the moors to Askrigg, in Wensleydale, starts off as a tarmac road but turns into a gravel track halfway up.

It runs past Steven Porter's farm at Summer Lodge.

He said: "It's only a matter of time before someone goes over the edge and its a 100ft drop. They get so far up and then there's a bad S-bend and they try to come back down.

"Some of them end up on three wheels because there's no barrier, just some big stones.

"A minibus got stuck two or three weeks ago after the satellite navigation had told him to go up there.

"Another fella in a car got stuck a few days ago."

Mr Porter has told the parish council about the problem and says warning signs should be erected.

Councillor Harold Brown, chairman of Grinton Parish Council, said: "The road's just about passable with a 4x4 if you know what you're doing.

"But the sat-nav systems are sending drivers up it anyway.

"This modern technology is not always all it's cracked up to be."

The parish council is writing to county council highways chiefs to warn them about the problem.

The AA Motoring Trust said about ten per cent of motorists use satellite navigation regularly.

A spokesman said: "Sat-nav was the must-have Christmas present for men last year. It's becoming more popular but we've not heard of many incidents like this."

A spokesman for Trafficmaster, which makes Smartnav, one of the leading brands of satellite navigation system, said: "Our system will ask whether you want to take motorways or smaller routes. Most people tend to choose motorways.

"We try to make sure our system doesn't send people down smaller routes."