A TRAIN driver told of the terrifying moment he realised he was about to hit a Land Rover trying to cross the East Lancashire railway line.

Farmer Thomas Holt, of Scout Barn Farm, Turn Village, near Edenfield, died in the collision at the Irwell Vale crossing but his daughter Dianne, who was a passenger in the vehicle, miraculously escaped.

Mr Colin Wrangles told an inquest in Burnley how the Land Rover appeared on the tracks just feet away from his steam engine, and he prayed the driver and passenger would escape the impending collision.

He said the locomotive had started to slow down as it approached the station at Irwell Vale and was going at about 12mph.

"We were about 15ft away from the crossing when I saw the Land Rover. I put the brake full on, but you can't stop a locomotive in that distance. I prayed for the Land Rover to swing out of the way."

The Land Rover was pushed by the train into a stone wall and Mr Holt was thrown clear of the vehicle, but Dianne (19) scrambled free unhurt.

The farmer's dog was also killed in the crash which happened at about 12.45pm on May 14. None of the 16 passengers on board the train was hurt.

Mr Holt (63) and his daughter had earlier crossed the line to tend to sheep in a field. The accident happened as they made the return journey across into Irwell Vale village. Dianne, who is a shepherdess on the family farm, told the hearing: "We moved forwards towards the crossing and paused before setting off. I wasn't looking but I heard dad swear and I looked up and saw the train coming. It was only about five or six feet away.

"I shouted at him to put his foot down and I was panicking and then that was it. We started rolling over and over and I was trying to look for dad and the dog."

The inquest heard the crossing is closed off by an iron gate either side of the railway track which are opened and shut by motorists as they pass through. But the gates were frequently left open and were open when Mr Holt and his daughter crossed.

Accident investigator PC Simon Batten said people using the crossing should take more care to ensure the gates were closed.

He said: "There is a somewhat lackadaisical approach to the gates and it is quite an important safety issue. The lack of regular train services should not be a reason not to close the gates."

Mr Richard Law, ELR director of operations and safety, said it was the company's responsibility to provide gates and signs telling users to close them after crossing. He said he was not aware of any other accidents on the line.

East Lancashire Coroner Richard Taylor recorded a verdict of accidental death.

He said: " It is abundantly clear we will never know exactly what happened but Mr Holt was very nearly across the line but tragically did not make it."