IT MIGHT look like the worker who painted these white lines on the road had a bad day..

But despite the baffling appearance of the markings, Dorset County Council’s highways boss said they’re actually meant to look that way.

Residents were surprised to see the not-so-straight lines on the tarmac in East Borough, Wimborne, earlier this week.

Jennifer Carpenter, a community carer for Premier Care Dorset, sent a photograph of the lines in to the Bournemouth Echo.

She said: “It just struck me as really funny when I saw the lines.

“It’s ludicrous. That road’s a bit of a rat run anyway, particularly in the mornings, and there’s always people driving along it, so I think there’s going to be quite a lot of confusion.”

She said she has “no idea” how the lines were painted on the road in such a wobbly fashion.

“I can’t logically explain how this has happened,” she said.

“I thought it could be that they’re trying to create more room for the Gulliver’s Court exit, but it just makes the road narrower on the other side. It’s crazy.”

But Adrian Norcombe, construction manager for Dorset County Council’s highways, said the white lines will be a familiar sight for many locals.

“This road has recently been resurfaced as part of the defects programme,” he said.

“The white lines that have been put down are replicating what was on the road before we resurfaced.

"We take detailed measurements of the existing markings to ensure that parking bays et cetera are reinstated in the correct legal positions.

“These markings were installed as part of a traffic engineering scheme which was carried out in 2007 when the road was restricted to 20mph.

“Our team have had a number of residents thank them for reinstating the curve as it helps to slow down traffic in a road that was previously considered a rat run.”