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| Fatal crash plane hits rail line | Fatal crash plane hits rail line |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Two people are feared dead after their light aircraft crashed into the overhead power lines of the West Coast Main Line in Staffordshire. | Two people are feared dead after their light aircraft crashed into the overhead power lines of the West Coast Main Line in Staffordshire. |
| The aircraft came down in Little Haywood, near Stafford, just before 1200 GMT. | The aircraft came down in Little Haywood, near Stafford, just before 1200 GMT. |
| It ended up between two lines where the rail route forked, missing the tracks. | |
| The crash has closed that part of the West Coast Main Line, disrupting travel between London Euston and the North West. | The crash has closed that part of the West Coast Main Line, disrupting travel between London Euston and the North West. |
| A Staffordshire police spokeswoman said: "There are potentially two fatalities from the aircraft, but until further investigations have been carried out and families informed, we cannot give any more information." | A Staffordshire police spokeswoman said: "There are potentially two fatalities from the aircraft, but until further investigations have been carried out and families informed, we cannot give any more information." |
| Virgin Trains said services between London, Manchester, Glasgow and Liverpool were being diverted via Birmingham and Wolverhampton, adding 60 minutes to journey times. | Virgin Trains said services between London, Manchester, Glasgow and Liverpool were being diverted via Birmingham and Wolverhampton, adding 60 minutes to journey times. |
| It advised passengers not to travel on the route and use alternative lines instead. | It advised passengers not to travel on the route and use alternative lines instead. |
| A replacement bus service has been set up between Stafford and Rugby and between Stafford and Crewe, Network Rail said. | A replacement bus service has been set up between Stafford and Rugby and between Stafford and Crewe, Network Rail said. |
| London Midland, which runs trains from Birmingham to Liverpool and from Crewe to London Euston, has suspended all services in the area. | London Midland, which runs trains from Birmingham to Liverpool and from Crewe to London Euston, has suspended all services in the area. |
| Replacement buses will run between Crewe and Rugby and between Wolverhampton and Crewe. | Replacement buses will run between Crewe and Rugby and between Wolverhampton and Crewe. |
| href="/1/hi/scotland/7808440.stm">Scotland trains delayed after crash | |
| Virgin Trains passengers are advised not to travel, or to use alternative routes which will accept Virgin Trains customers. | Virgin Trains passengers are advised not to travel, or to use alternative routes which will accept Virgin Trains customers. |
| Virgin Trains tickets dated for Friday 2 January, will still be valid on Saturday 3 January. | Virgin Trains tickets dated for Friday 2 January, will still be valid on Saturday 3 January. |
| Janet Hemmings, from Crewe, who was visiting her sister at the time, witnessed the crash. | Janet Hemmings, from Crewe, who was visiting her sister at the time, witnessed the crash. |
| She said: "We just heard a terrible noise, it was just too low to believe it sounded normal. | She said: "We just heard a terrible noise, it was just too low to believe it sounded normal. |
| "Then my husband started shouting, 'I can see it coming down' and we ran into the garden and just saw something dropped from the sky. | "Then my husband started shouting, 'I can see it coming down' and we ran into the garden and just saw something dropped from the sky. |
| "There was just a big plume of black smoke and you could see the power cables to the railway line had actually snapped where it had obviously landed on the power cables." | "There was just a big plume of black smoke and you could see the power cables to the railway line had actually snapped where it had obviously landed on the power cables." |
| Local resident Gerald Simpkin saw the plane come down and described it as looking like it was performing acrobatics. | Local resident Gerald Simpkin saw the plane come down and described it as looking like it was performing acrobatics. |
| "We expected it to come back again but it didn't," he said. | "We expected it to come back again but it didn't," he said. |
| "We did not hear anything. There was no explosion, no smoke. | "We did not hear anything. There was no explosion, no smoke. |
| "A few minutes later we saw air ambulances arrive. It is tragic." | "A few minutes later we saw air ambulances arrive. It is tragic." |
| Diesel supplies | Diesel supplies |
| A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "On arrival crews found the wreckage of a plane between two railway tracks - it had struck the power lines for the railway. | A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "On arrival crews found the wreckage of a plane between two railway tracks - it had struck the power lines for the railway. |
| "Sadly there was nothing that could be done and and no-one has been taken to hospital." | "Sadly there was nothing that could be done and and no-one has been taken to hospital." |
| Network Rail said there was debris by the side of the track at the crash scene. | Network Rail said there was debris by the side of the track at the crash scene. |
| Three passenger trains and two freight trains were stranded when overhead power was switched off between Stafford and Rugeley. | Three passenger trains and two freight trains were stranded when overhead power was switched off between Stafford and Rugeley. |
| They were being supplied with diesel and were expected to resume their journeys shortly, a spokesman said. | They were being supplied with diesel and were expected to resume their journeys shortly, a spokesman said. |
Are you in the area? Have you seen anything or have you been affected by the crash? Send us your comments using the form below: | Are you in the area? Have you seen anything or have you been affected by the crash? Send us your comments using the form below: |
| You can also send us pictures and video to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124. If you have a large file you can upload here.Read the terms and conditions | You can also send us pictures and video to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124. If you have a large file you can upload here.Read the terms and conditions |