Legal row postpones crash inquest

Seven people - including the driver of the car - died in the crash

The inquest into last year's Berkshire train crash has been postponed after legal aid was refused for one of the families caught up in the tragedy.

The hearing was to be held into the crash at Ufton Nervet, which killed seven people, next week.

But ministers have overruled a recommendation that David Main, whose partner and child died, should have legal representation at the inquest.

The inquest is on hold while that decision is being challenged.

Judicial review

The families of those killed were intending to make the case for extra safety measures to be introduced on trains at the inquest.

They had requested legal aid to pay for barristers on the grounds the case had a "wider public interest".

But the legal aid minister, Bridget Prentice, has refused an application from Mr Main.

His partner, Anjanette Rossi, and nine-year-old daughter Louella were among those killed when the high-speed train hit a car on a level crossing on 6 November, 2004.

Other families expect to have their request turned down as well.

Lawyers for Mr Main are planning to apply for a judicial review.