Train death girls 'given warning'

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A train driver warned two girls not to cross a track before they were hit by another train, an inquest has heard.

Olivia Bazlinton, 14, and her friend Charlotte Thompson, 13, died when they stepped into the path of a 70mph train on a level crossing at Elsenham, Essex.

The girls had ignored warning lights and alarms in rushing for a train to Cambridge on the opposite platform, the four-day hearing was told.

They were struck by a Central Trains service on 3 December 2005.

The 0724 GMT service from Birmingham New Street to Stansted Airport had been travelling at about 70mph, the inquest in Chelmsford, Essex, heard on Tuesday.

It was suggested that the girls would have made it across the line safely had the Stansted service not been running late.

John Rossiter-Summers, who had been driving the Cambridge train with his supervisor, told the inquest that he saw Olivia and Charlotte about to cross in front of him as the service pulled into the station.

Screaming heard

He said he saw Charlotte put her hand on the pedestrian gate.

"It looked like she was going to make an attempt to cross in front of me. I sort of made eye contact with her, shook my head and mouthed the words 'don't bother, I'll wait'."

Mr Rossiter-Summers said the Stansted service passed by quickly as he pulled into the station.

He said he saw a man get out of the last carriage of the Cambridge service and head towards the level crossing. He also heard screaming and shouting from people on the platform.

It was not until Mr Rossiter-Summers was leaving the station that he realised what had happened.

"I put two and two together and realised the two girls had been struck by the train," he said.

The inquest into the girls' deaths continues.