Three dead in train collision

Investigators are at the scene of the crash

Three people have been killed after a First Great Western train was involved in a collision with a minibus on a level crossing in Worcestershire.

Five other people in the minibus were also injured, two seriously.

The incident - involving a train heading from Hereford to London with about 150 passengers on board - happened at Pools Crossing, Ryden Lane at Charlton between Pershore and Evesham.

The unmanned private crossing is on the main line between Hereford and London Paddington and is understood to serve nearby Ryden Farm.

Click here for a map of the area

The three dead were in the minibus and are believed to be Iraqi Kurd labourers who were in the area picking spring onions.

POOLS CROSSING TRAIN CRASH

0824 BST train collides with a minibus

Three people killed

Seven people injured

The train was First Great Western Hereford to London

A spokeswoman for Herefordshire and Worcestershire Ambulance Service said an air ambulance and five land ambulances were called to the scene and the dead were recovered from the line itself.

Rose Johnson, a consultant at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital, confirmed later the casualties were men in their late 30s to early 40s.

She said the two seriously injured victims were "stable" and "reasonably comfortable".

Meanwhile the Health and Safety Executive said an investigation into the cause of the incident has begun and that two of its railway inspectorate staff were at the scene.

'Broken window'

A British Transport Police spokesman said: "This is a crossing that is not like a normal crossing as it crosses farmland.

"Drivers of vehicles are supposed to get permission before crossing.

The train was damaged in the crash

"It is not thought that anyone on the train was hurt."

A phone line links the crossing to the signal box and motorists are expected to call for advice on if it is safe to proceed.

Accident investigators are trying to establish if a call was made to signallers or if the vehicle may have broken down on the line.

Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff, who was in the front carriage of the train at the time of the crash, said: "One of the windows broke as a result of the impact.

"There was also a great deal of damage to one of the passenger doors and the front of the train suffered a lot of damage."

He added: "One guy sitting in my carriage with his back to the engine when the window broke was lucky.

"If he had been facing the engine he would have one hell of a mess."

Passengers in the front first-class carriage, nearest to the point of impact, were showered in glass as windows exploded

Eyewitness Russell Merryman

Confusion as train collides: full account

BBC journalist Russell Merryman was also on the train.

He described the moment of impact, saying: "There was quite a loud bang and a lot of rattling as debris and metal went under the train.

"People jumped in their seats and we were trying to work out what was going on.

"The train braked quite quickly and there was a very heavy smell of burning as the brakes were operated."

Emergency services

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "People are supposed to ring the signaller before crossing.

"The train had been due to stop at Evesham."

A West Mercia Police spokesman said: "The emergency services are responding and dealing with what are believed to be a number of injuries from those aboard the minibus."

Train operator First Great Western confirmed the service involved was the 0703 BST train from Hereford to London Paddington.

First Great Western services to Worcestershire from Paddington will be severely disrupted the company said.

The train has been moved further down the line towards Evesham.

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