A young mum has described the horrifying moment she saw the train she was travelling on crash into a delivery van, killing the driver and leaving those on board “screaming and crying.”
Earlier today, British Transport Police confirmed that the driver of a van died when his vehicle collided with a Northern Rail train at a level crossing in Burscough around 3pm. A huge emergency services presence arrived on the scene near Martin Lane and images sent to the ECHO showed the stationary train close to the wreckage of the van.
Eyewitness account
The ECHO has now spoken to an eyewitness who was on the train and witnessed the horror up close. Young mum Sophie Cassidy was at the front of the train as it crashed into the van at the level crossing.
Sophie, 26, who had been attending the Southport Air Show with her one-year-old son and four-year-old daughter, was making her way back to her home in Burscough when the terrifying incident took place. She said the man was driving a supermarket delivery van and she saw him approaching the level crossing from the window of the train as she sat right at the front behind the driver's cab with her children.
Sophie explained: “As the train was heading towards the level crossing. I was talking to my little boy and then out of the window I saw the driver of the delivery van heading towards the crossing. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, I was thinking oh my god we are about to hit him. Surely he can see us?”
Moment of impact
Describing the shocking moment the train ploughed into the van, she added: “When the train hit the van, it took out the whole front window of the train, if the driver hadn't ducked out of the way he would have been killed. He was very lucky.”
“The door that separates the driver from the carriage flew off as well. I was really worried we might derail with my kids. Everyone was screaming and crying. It was the most horrible thing I have ever experienced.”
The young mum shared images with the ECHO which showed the huge damage done to the front of the train, with the front window smashed in and the door hanging off. Debris can be seen all over the floor.
Praise for train driver and emergency services
Sophie is adamant that the driver of the train was not at fault in any way and said he “did everything in his power” to avoid hitting the van as it crossed the level crossing.
She said: “The train driver was actually amazing. After what he went through in the crash he came out to make sure the passengers were ok and offered us water and things. I hope he gets the recognition he deserves.”
She also praised the efforts of emergency workers who helped to treat some passengers for minor injuries and eventually were able to help people off the train after around two hours of waiting. She also said Northern train staff were “spot on.”
Speaking about the driver of the van, Sophie said tragically from her vantage point at the front of the train she was aware he could not have survived the crash. She said: “I was sat at the front when it happened, I knew he was going to die.”
A spokesperson for the British Transport Police said: “We were called to a level crossing in Burscough, West Lancashire following reports at 3:18pm today (29 August) that a train had struck a van. Paramedics and the fire service also attended.”
“One person was in the van and sadly a man was pronounced dead at the scene. Two people who were passengers on the train received treatment for minor injuries. The incident is not being treated as suspicious.”
“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of what happened, any witnesses who haven’t already spoken to police are asked to text BTP on 61016 quoting the reference 373 of 29 August.”
