'Signaller did not receive call' before train hit car at level crossing

A driver is in hospital with a serious head injury after his car was hit by a train at a rural level crossing.

The man, aged in his 40s, was airlifted to hospital after the collision on the line between Cambridge and Ely on Friday afternoon.

The level crossing between Ely and Waterbeach in Cambridgeshire is used by fewer than 10 vehicles each day and is "user-worked", Network Rail said.

Spokesman Ross Easton said: "This type of crossing requires people wishing to cross the railway to contact the signaller using a dedicated phone to obtain permission before crossing."

"We can confirm that the signaller did not receive a telephone call prior to this incident and the telephone system was working correctly."

The injured man was airlifted to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge after his car collided with the 1354 Great Northern King's Lynn to London King's Cross service.

His injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

The level crossing is on private farmland, down a small track off the A1123 used by agricultural traffic.

The incident commander said of the casualty: "He was alert and talking to the crews when they (the air ambulance) took off, but he did have a nasty head injury."

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