'I was scared to death': Witness describes terrifying moment freight train almost hit car at level crossing

A dog walker said a freight train came within seconds of hitting a suspected stolen car after it crashed through closed barriers.

Police said a suspected stolen car struck the barriers at the crossing on Whinney Lane, in Wakefield, at 5.05pm on Sunday, November 8.

Barry Hawkins, who was walking his dog, was stood behind the closed barriers waiting to cross on foot when he saw the police pursuit of the car on Whinney Lane.

Mr Hawkins said the car passed within around 12 inches from where he was stood and smashed through the first two barriers on to the train line before hitting the second set of barriers.

He said a freight train travelling from the Wakefield side towards Ferrybridge narrowly missed hitting the car and ran over debris from broken barriers on the tracks.

The train stopped at the crossing and no-one was injured.

The car then struck the wall of a house and caused structural damage.

He said: “I could feel the wind off it (the car) as it passed me.”

He said: “The train missed the car by probably one to two seconds. The police car was right behind him. It was very close. I thought the train was going to hit the car. I was scared to death.

"All the debris from the gates was in the middle of the lines.”

The car ploughed through a hedge and struck the wall of a house at the corner of Whinney Lane and Whitwell Main.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “Officers aborted the pursuit when the vehicle headed towards a railway crossing where the barriers were closed.

“The vehicle continued through the barriers and came to a stop on the other side of the railway.

“An oncoming freight train collided with debris from the vehicle. The train driver was not injured and the train did not derail.

“A man has been arrested and is currently in custody.”

Rail services were disrupted but are now running again.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “The railway between Wakefield Kirkgate and Pontefract Monkhill has reopened following a vehicle striking the barriers at Streethouse level crossing yesterday evening (Sunday 8 November).

"The road is currently closed while our engineers carry out essential repairs. We appreciate the impact this has on the local community and thank people for their patience while we work to reopen the road as quickly as possible.”