OUR front page news telling of a major train crash which claimed the lives of seven people back in 1961 brought back memories for a young passenger, Margaret Holden, née Coupe, was just 11 when the 8.50am express from Colne to Fleetwood collided with an engineers’ ballast train at Singleton Bank, Weeton.

The impact caused the leading coach to plunge down a 15ft embankment and the third to rear up on the one in front.

The train driver and six passengers in the first coach died, while 226 were injured. More than 350 people, including day trippers from Blackburn, Burnley, Accrington and Oswaldtwistle – two were killed – were packed on to the six coach express for the wakes week trip.

Margaret said: “I was actually involved in this crash. I was on a day out with my mother, father and younger brother, going to visit my grandmother and great uncle, who were staying in Fleetwood at some holiday flats for the week.

“I remember this crash as if it were yesterday. The train actually slowed down and bumped three times and I had three bangs to the head from one of the handrails. I lost one of my shoes at the time.

“When we were rescued we had to walk to the back of the train (where I retrieved my shoe) and some workmen helped us down from the train. It was a long drop on to the rails which was quite frightening for us all.

“After we were checked out by medical staff, we boarded a bus that took us to Blackpool and from there we got on a train to Fleetwood.

“I remember that on this train everyone seemed to get in the back carriage, so we went to the front one; when we got to Poulton, the train driver moved to the opposite end of the train so we ended up in the back.

“We were all very lucky but even now I am suffering the consequences of the bangs to my head and having problems with my knees after jumping down on to the track.

“My mother often mentioned the crash when she reminisced about our trips on the trains to Fleetwood.

“As a family we enjoyed many holidays there and my parents ended up buying a caravan there.”