Boy ‘clipped’ by train at crossing near Bury St Edmunds

Emergency services were called after a person was hit by a freight train near Thurston Railway Station.

The East of England Ambulance Serviced and British Transport Police were called to the area around 10.30am on Thursday.

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance service said: “An ambulance, a rapid response vehicle and East Anglian Air ambulance attended Thurston Railway Station this morning following reports that someone had been struck by a train.

“One boy was assessed at the scene, but did not require hospital transport.”

British Transport Police (BTP) confirmed that a teenage boy had ridden his bike across the foot crossing and had not heard a train approaching.

A spokesman for BTP said: “He did not hear a train approaching, the train clipped the boy’s bicycle and fortunately he was uninjured.”

A number of trains were cancelled in the area as a result.

Greater Anglia said that disruption in the area was expected until 1pm.

Wendy Turner, district councillor for Thurston at Mid Suffolk District Council, said that improvements to the crossing were needed quickly, particularly given the large new housing developments set to be built in Thurston in the next five years.

“We want a footbridge or a tunnel,” Mrs Turner said.

“Thurston is a growing village, there’s going to be hundreds more people using that train station.