Rail crash dead memorial service

The Countess of Wessex speaks to emergency service staff

Relatives and friends of the seven people who died when a train hit a car on a rail crossing in Berkshire have held a memorial service.

The hour-long service at the Church of St Mary in Reading, conducted by the Bishop of Reading, comes just over a month after the tragedy.

It was organised in consultation with relatives of the victims.

The Act of Remembrance was led by Rev Jonathan Graves, a school chaplain from Devon who was a passenger on the train.

It also featured prayers read by representatives of communities affected by the crash and those who cared for the injured.

Deborah Martin arrives at the service with her children

Villagers from the crash site at Ufton Nervet held their service for the victims on 14 November.

The crash happened after Brian Drysdale, from Reading, parked his car on the level crossing, causing the train to derail on impact.

He was killed along with the train driver, Stanley Martin, 54, from Torquay in Devon.

The other five victims were travelling in coaches which overturned when the train derailed.

They were mother and daughter Anjanette Rossi, 38, and Louella Main, nine, of Speen, near Newbury, Berkshire; Barry Strevens, 55, of Wells, Somerset; Emily Webster, 14, of Moretonhampstead, Devon; and Leslie Charles Matthews, 72, of Warminster, Wiltshire.