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Train passenger knocked unconscious in fatal crash

BBC Bethan Evans, who has long straight hair, and is wearing a pink jumper, looks towards the camera, with bushes, fields and a wooden gate in the backgroundBBC
Bethan Evans, 23, says the last thing she heard was "screeching of the train" before she lost consciousness

A passenger on a train involved in a fatal crash has told how she was knocked out by the impact after hearing "emergency brakes slam on, then the screeching".

Bethan Evans, 23, believes she was unconscious for "a few seconds or around a minute" after the westbound service she was on hit a stationary train on a single track in Powys.

A man in his 60s on the train from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth died after the collision near the village of Llanbrynmair on Monday evening, with four others seriously injured and a further eleven requiring hospital treatment.

The 18:31 westbound service from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth hit a stationary 19:09 train from Machynlleth to Shrewsbury.

Police van, Network Rail van and Network Rail response unit jeep on the side of the road alongside the track, with the crashed train stationary on the tracks in daylight. The doors of the end carriage are open and there is police tape in front of the tracks.
Emergency services at the scene of the crash on Tuesday

Ms Evans, from Talybont, Ceredigion, was on the last leg of her train journey to Aberystwyth when the crash happened at about 19:30 BST.

She said: "The last thing I remember is reading one of my books and looking at the time.

"I don’t remember feeling the impact of the train at all, either because I was passed out or concussed, so it was a lot worse than I initially thought.

"I also saw people who had flown out of their seats into the aisle, and I noticed my belongings were thrown in the aisle as well".

She added: "I saw a few people with broken bones and hearing emergency CPR being called and a lot of staff running down".

The cause of death of the passenger has not been revealed, but British Transport Police said at the moment they did not believe it was as a result of injuries sustained in the crash.

The injuries of the 15 passengers taken to hospital were not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing, police said.