Longleat Adventure Park rail crash report finds 'weaknesses'

A woman suffered a broken leg when the train derailed in August

A probe into a miniature rail crash at Longleat Adventure Park in which six people were hurt has found "weaknesses" in maintenance and staff training.

One woman broke a leg in August's crash, during which a carriage toppled over as the train, carrying 155 people, entered the park's main square.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said the park, in Wiltshire, had agreed to an action plan to improve standards.

The train had previously derailed in 2011 and did so again in November 2014.

'Significant changes'

August's crash was the most serious at the park, near Warminster, with two carriages coming off the track.

A spokesman for the ORR, which regulates health and safety for the mainline rail network as well as the heritage sector, said: "The investigation found weaknesses in train operation safety management, specifically related to maintenance, staff training and competence.

"In response the company agreed to implement an action plan to improve their standards, and have subsequently made significant changes to their operating procedures.

"ORR's inspectors are closely monitoring the operation of trains at Longleat to ensure safety is not compromised."

A Longleat statement said the park had worked closely with the ORR and expert external advisors to "develop an advanced set of training and operating procedures for the Jungle Express train".

"We have looked at every aspect of the operation from the trains themselves and the track, to staffing and signalling," the statement added.

Longleat said they had now made "a number of changes" and were "satisfied" they operate to "very high safety management standards".