Trip man's hands severed by train

A man in his 50s had both his hands severed by a train after he fell on a rail track and knocked himself out.

It is thought he was lying unconscious with his hands on the line when the passenger train came along near Midgham station in Woolhampton, Berkshire.

The driver of the train feared he had hit somebody and alerted the emergency services at about midnight.

It is thought the man had regained consciousness by the time they arrived and was able to walk to an ambulance.

His hands were across the rails and were injured by the passing train - they were basically severed British Transport Police spokesman

A British Transport Police spokesman said the man had been at a gated foot crossing when he was thought to have tripped.

Officers have not yet been able to interview the man, who is being treated in a London hospital.

The spokesman said: "The initial indications are that the person had tripped and bumped his head and obviously where he fell down his hands were across the rails and were injured by the passing train - they were basically severed."

He added that the injuries were not life-threatening and they were not treating the incident as suspicious.