The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Mum’s fears as metal debris from rail line shatters nursery glass
Angus Childminder woken by sound of train clip smashing into window of room used for youngsters
An Angus childminder has called for urgent action amid claims a heavy metal clip flew off the east coast train line and smashed through a window of her home.
Louise Stewart of Carnoustie has urged Network Rail bosses to carry out an investigation of the track, which runs next to her Park Avenue home, after serious injury was narrowly avoided in the early morning incident.
Louise and her husband Iain were woken after hearing a loud bang in the room she uses as a children’s playroom.
She said a child could easily have been badly hurt if the piece of metal, identified by Network Rail investigators as a pandrol clip, had come through the window during the day.
It left shattered glass all over the floor and in toy boxes, with the clip denting a door and door frame.
Louise, 36, is seeking assurances it will not happen again.
She said: “I am almost 100% certain the clip has flown off the railway at speed.
“Thank God this is no longer my daughter’s bedroom – we moved her to a room next door three weeks ago. During the day this room is full of children.
“It does not bear thinking about what could have happened if children had been in the room.”
She believes the incident happened between 5.40 and 6am on Wednesday.
She said: “We heard a bang but did not realise what it was.
“My neighbours also heard this bang and one of them noticed there was a very fast train going past at this time.
“An ops manager from Network Rail visited us, took a look at the room and confirmed this was a pandrol clip which must have come from the railway as there is no way someone could throw it through with such force thought a thick, double glazed window.
“It doesn’t bear thinking about what could have happened, it could have killed someone.”
“I am very concerned about this and will not use that room for work until I can get some answers of why this has happened, or if there is any chance it can happen again.”
Louise and Iain have two children – Jeannie, six, and Dougie one, and she looks after many other in her minding business.
She said: “We were told to leave the room as it is until the police have come, there is glass everywhere.”
A Network Rail spokesperson said: “We are speaking directly to the resident and investigating this matter.
“Our engineers have inspected the line and there are no clips missing from the infrastructure.”
It doesn’t bear thinking about what could have happened, it could have killed someone