Child jumping on moving train sparks safety fears

Safety concerns have been raised after a child jumped onto a moving model train in West Sussex.

The Goffs Park Light Railway in Crawley said the "extremely dangerous" incident took everyone on board the train by surprise, but added the child and passengers were uninjured.

It warned there could have been a far more serious outcome, such as derailment, and urged the council to improve safety measures around the tracks.

Crawley Borough Council (CBC) said it was the operator's responsibility to run the railway safely.

They added they would continue to support the "much loved service" and work to ensure that high safety standards are maintained.

"While the distress caused was minimal, it was nonetheless a serious incident that highlighted the real risks associated with operating in an open public space," said a spokesperson for Goffs Park Light Railway.

They said fencing was needed to prevent uncontrolled public access to the railway, which is operated by volunteers under a licence agreement with CBC.

"We lack the storage capacity and funding to undertake full-scale installation works independently," said the railway spokesperson.

CBC said it had provided "suitable fencing for the areas around the Light Railway that required it", following a health and safety assessment.

They added there had been several incidents in recent years and they had tried to secure fencing from 2015.

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