Elderly woman is killed at crossing

Aug 1 2007 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

AN ELDERLY woman and her dog died after being hit by a train at a crossing in Wirral yesterday afternoon.

The fatal collision happened at the crossing near Sandringham Avenue in Hoylake, just a few yards from the Manor Road station, which is used by dog walkers heading to nearby fields.

The woman is thought to have been returning from walking her dog yesterday at around 1.30pm when they were struck by the empty train travelling from West Kirby to Birkenhead.

The woman was named locally as a Jean Wilson, but BTP (British Transport Police) said they could not confirm her identity.

BTP have said they are not treating the incident as suspicious.

Local people said they had feared there would be an accident after a dog was killed at the crossing last year.

Ian McGechen was in his bungalow next to the railway crossing when the accident happened but was unaware anything had happened until he saw police and paramedics.

Mr McGechen, who has lived there for more than 40 years with his wife Brenda, said: “I was sitting in the kitchen when I saw the ambulance and police cars.”.

He said police trying to identify the woman had asked him if he knew an elderly woman with a brown dog.

Mrs McGechen said: “We have said many times that an elderly person on that crossing would not stand a chance.

“We lost our dog on that crossing last year when someone was waiting and the dog just ran out and straight under a train.”

There are phones on the user-operated crossing for pedestrians to call the signal operator to check it is safe to cross, and last night British Transport Police were checking if a call had been made before the woman crossed.

Merseyrail spokesman Rudi Boersma said the train had not been scheduled to stop and could have been travelling at around 40mph.

He said: “The driver has been offered counselling and will be looked after by his line manager and other staff.

“We have procedures in place for these incidents.” A spokesman for British Transport Police said they had been called at 1.44pm.The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

He said: “The deceased is in the process of being formally identified.”

Nancy Edwards, whose garden overlooks the train line near the crossing, said: “It was just awful – there was a crowd of police on the railway line with plastic bags.”

John Fuller, whose house is also next to the line and overlooks the crossing, said he did not see or hear anything until four police cars appeared near his house.

A MAN was last night taken to hospital after being struck by a Northern Rail train.

BTP and paramedics were call at 6pm, after reports that a train had hit the man on the approach to Hunts Cross station.

He was taken to Whiston hospital and BTP’s investigation icontinues.

Services through Hunts Cross were stopped immediately but were up and running again at 7.05pm.

Anyone with information should contact BTP on 0800 405040.

liammurphy