'Several dead' as train hits car

Several people died and many more injured in England when a high-speed train hit a car on a level crossing and derailed tonight.

The First Great Western service from Paddington to Plymouth ploughed into the car on the automatic crossing in a village near Reading at around 6.30pm.

Dozens of fire engines and ambulances were rushed to the scene at Ufton Nervet as injured passengers were dragged from the wreckage.

Thames Valley police said that at least nine carriages had been derailed. Many people had been injured, and a significant number of passengers were trapped.

“There have been fatalities, exact numbers are not known at this time,” a spokeswoman said.

BBC Radio 5 Live reporter Jonny Saunders, who was on the train, told of the chaos in the crash.

“Suddenly there was this extraordinary stopping sensation, I immediately thought someone had pulled the emergency cord, but it carried on, carried on, and came to a juddering halt.

“Suddenly all the lights went off, screaming, shouting, we were in the pitch black, then total chaos in the carriage for a few moments.

“I was incredibly lucky, because the carriage I was in didn’t actually go over on its side – the one in front did and the one behind did.

“I tried to get the hammer to break the glass, and managed to eventually get out. We were lucky in our carriage, but there were certainly some people who would be less lucky.”

A British Transport Police spokesman said: “At 1810, we received a report that the 1735 Paddington to Plymouth had struck a vehicle on a level crossing at Ufton Nervet near the Winning Hand public house, on the level crossing at Ufton Nervet.”

A spokesman for First Great Western said details of what happened were still “sketchy”.

A Network Rail spokesman said the accident happened at an automatic level crossing with half barriers on each side of the road.

Richard Micklewright, a passenger on the train, told the ITV News Channel: “I was in the rear of the train. I was in Coach A, the train was running back to front.

“There was a lot of shuddering...then we suddenly realised something was going on. I braced myself between the aisles...then it (the train) turned on its side at the last moment.”

After getting out of the carriage, he saw other train carriages which looked “worse for wear”.

Mr Micklewright went on: “Initially, the lights had gone out and people were searching for the emergency light...there was a little bit of panic.

“Eventually, somebody broke a window. There were hammers for emergencies like this. We then all moved down and went through the rear of the carriage.

“It was difficult to move because the carriage was at a 45 degree angle.”

Mr Micklewright said initially he felt a juddering which became more severe as the train derailed.

“The carriage in front remained upright but I could see that the one after that was at right angles to the track.

“It looked to me like there were a lot of carriages strewn all over the place.

“From my carriage I heard no-one say they had been injured. The train was pretty full.”

He said some people were saying that one carriage rolled over several times.

“There was a little bit of panic with some people saying: ‘Oh no, not us. Not us.’

“I was just grateful that the thing had come to a stop and we were in one piece.

“The emergency services were here pretty quickly considering the distance they had to come – within 10 to 15 minutes. You couldn’t fault them at all. It was brilliant.”

Mr Micklewright said some carriages had gone completely off the rail line.

“Initially, I tried to find out where I was. Major injuries have gone to the hospital and everyone else is just waiting around.

“We have got a pub here and we can get a drink.”

Mr Micklewright added: “On the side of track, I saw what looked like a bundle of metal. I assumed it was car but it was not recognisable as a car.

“This is the sort of thing you have nightmares about.”