Accidents cause railways chaos

The line at Teignmouth was re-opened on Saturday morning

Train services were severely disrupted by separate accidents in Devon, in which a woman was killed and a car plunged on to the line.

The woman, in her 40s, was killed at Sprey Head, Teignmouth, Devon, when she was hit by a train after going on the tracks in search of her dog.

On Friday night a car rolled on to the line between Exeter and Newton Abbot. The line was cleared later.

Two people in the car were slightly injured in the accident.

Police believe the unnamed woman killed in Teignmouth was trying to retrieve her dog from the tracks when she was hit.

A Devon and Cornwall police spokesman said: "It appears to be a tragic accident.

"The train driver has been spoken to as well as a person who was with the lady."

Great Western services from Bristol to Penzance and Penzance to Cardiff on Saturday morning were terminated at Exeter and Plymouth respectively.