A MOTHER who stood with her two young children in the path of a train after a signal failure has blasted Railtrak after the incident which could have cost lives.

Beverley McNaul and her daughters Crystal, six, and Tessa, two, were walking the short distance home from her father's house when she faced the terrifying sight.

She had stepped onto the level crossing near Huncoat Railway Station, after noticing the gates were up and no warning lights were flashing.

But to her horror when she glanced down the line towards Hapton she saw the train, about 50 metres away, heading towards her.

She had not heard it because of torrential rain and high winds.

Now Railtrack are to send her a formal apology for the signalling breakdown which could have cost lives.

Recalling the nightmare scene, Mrs McNaul said: "There was no indication - we could have been right in the path of the train."

Beverley, of Marshall Avenue, Huncoat, yanked her daughters to safety but the incident frightened them.

She said: "I walked past the level crossing with them a couple of days later and they kept asking me if a train was coming."

Her father, Mr Francis Duckett said: "It is a disgraceful incident. If it had been an elderly person crossing they could easily have been injured -even killed."

A Railtrack spokesman said: "Although we regret that the lady thought her family was in danger, I can assure her she wasn't."

The spokesman said an electrical fault had occurred but the barriers were being operated manually.

A Railtrak workman had seen the trio and saw they were safe because the train was slowing to a halt at the barriers.

It would not have hit them, he said.

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