Train hit woman who leant over the track to be sick

2:42pm Friday 2nd November 2007

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A woman was struck by a train as she leant over the track to be sick.

The 28-year-old woman was left with a fractured skull and a deep cut to her head after the incident at Purley Oaks train station last night.

The driver of the non-stop 6.12pm service from Watford to Gatwick saw the woman leaning over the platform edge as he came through the station.

He sounded his horn to warn her and slammed on the brakes but struck her and she fell back onto the platform.

The woman was taken by ambulance to St George's Hospital in Tooting.

A British Transport Police spokeswoman said: "We were called to Purley Oaks train station at around 7.15pm after reports a woman had been hit by a train while leaning over the platform. The reason she leant over was the she felt unwell."

A spokeswoman for the London Ambulance Service said: "We were called at 7.20pm to an incident involving a train and a pedestrian at Purley Oaks Station.

"We sent two ambulances and a fast response car to the scene. A 28-year-old woman was taken to St George's Hospital in Tooting with head injuries but was fully conscious."

Hundreds of commuters faced severe delays on their way home as only two of the four lines operated between East Croydon and Purley.

A spokesman for Southern Railways said: "The current was restored and the lines were reopened just after 8pm and delays to train services continued right up until close of service last night.

"We had some cancellations as a result, but not many. Delays to services were running up to 80 minutes all evening."