Norfolk rail line reopens after derailment

The train hit a large tree and partially derailed on Tuesday

Train services are back on track after a derailment, National Rail has said.

One passenger suffered minor injuries after a passenger train heading to Norwich hit a large tree on the track and derailed late on Tuesday.

The East Midlands Railway service partly came off the rails between Thetford and Harling Road in Norfolk.

National Rail said the line was clear and trains were "able to run as scheduled".

East Midlands Railway services between Norwich and Liverpool Lime Street and Greater Anglia services between Norwich and Cambridge-Stansted Airport were affected.

The line was closed to rail services throughout Wednesday

National Rail said in a statement: "The line is now clear and trains are able to run as scheduled".

Thirty-one passengers were on the train, which started in Liverpool on Tuesday afternoon.

Police, ambulance and fire crews were called to the scene in south-west Norfolk at about 21:15 GMT.

Network Rail, which owns and operates rail infrastructure, said onward travel was arranged following the crash, with passengers arriving in Norwich by 01:00 on Wednesday.

It said the injured passenger was assessed with a minor hip injury and did not need hospital treatment. They were able to "safely" board the recovery train, it added.

Police said the train had "partially derailed at the front" but the "carriage remained upright".

An engineer at the scene told the BBC that everyone on board had a "very, very lucky escape".

The East of England Ambulance Service spokesperson said two ambulances, four ambulance officer vehicles, a Hazardous Area Response Team and a response car from East Anglian Air Ambulance were sent to the scene.

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