Tractor driver has 'miraculous escape' after being hit by train on level crossing

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The 23-year-old suffered serious injuries when his vehicle was smashed to smithereens by the passenger service last night.

But emergency service crews who arrived at the scene said he was lucky to be alive after the horrific crash.

The wreckage of the tractor at the side of the rail line at Weston Rhyn

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to the incident at Weston Rhyn, near Oswestry, Shropshire, at 4.50pm.

A spokesman confirmed that the train, which was carrying 17 passengers, was not derailed by the crash.

Cliff Medlicott, who attended the incident, said the tractor had suffered a 'huge' amount of damage and was moved along the track a short distance by the train.

The tractor driver suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries to his head and chest, as well as a fractured wrist, and was taken to the Maelor Hospital in Wrexham.

Mr Medlicott, of West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: 'There were a total of 17 passengers, the train driver and a guard on the train, which was travelling from Oswestry to Wrexham.

'By good fortune, a doctor from the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital was on board and assisted ambulance crews.

'Thankfully the only other injury was to a female passenger who was treated at the scene for minor neck pain.

'This had the potential to be a much more serious incident - thankfully it wasn't.'

Two ambulances, four paramedic officers, a rapid response vehicle and the County Air Ambulance from Cosford, Shropshire, were jointly sent to the scene by the West Midlands and Welsh Ambulance Services.