DrAmA As trAin ploughs into 11 cows on trAck

Hundreds of rail passengers had to be evacuated after a collision with their train killed 11 cows which had wandered onto the line at Stilton. The emergency services were called to Stilton Fen on Sunday and helped people onto a replacementservice. Thepassengers hadbeenstrandedon the badly damaged train for around a couple of hours before they were helped onto a new train.

One commuter, Monica Darn, said one or two people weresufferingshockorminor injuries.

Describing what happened, she said: “At 9.50 the train had just left Peterborough Station when there was a bang and sudden braking and a terrible burning smell and bits of something like mud splattering the windows before we came to a safe stop on the track.”

Network Rail and Great Northern both said they were called to the line between Peterborough and Huntingdon, which was shut in both directions until 2pm.

There were cancellations and delays of up to an hour while work was carried out at the scene.

A spokeswoman for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said the firecrewshad gone to Mile Drove in Yaxley with firefighters bringing a platform to evacuate 280 passengersfromthebrokendown train and onto the replacement train.

MsDarnadded:“Oneofthe two heroines of the event was the driver Sandra who must have had a horrible scene unfold in front of her - she remainedincontrolandseemed extremely competent.

“Her voice was always steady and she acted quickly and apparently safely and thoroughly. Theotherheroine was Lisa, an on-the-way-toworkBritish TransportPolice officer. Shecamethroughthe train withinafewminutesofit coming to a halt and checked no one was hurt. She worked tirelessly up and down the train helping passengers and liaising with the driver.

“After about two hours, we watched a tractor bring the ladder which makes into a bridge betweenthetwotrains andbythenthereweredozens of rail, police and fire service people who helped passengers to walk easily and safely between the two trains.”

Workers attend the scene after 11 cows were killed

Emergency services at the scene