Update: Rail accident investigation under way

10:52am Saturday 24th May 2008

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A man who was struck by a passenger train near Oxford last night was carrying out repairs to the track, it has emerged.

An unnamed 55-year-old was hit by a service travelling to Oxford from London Paddington just before 10pm at Kennington.

His injuries were so severe that his left leg was amputated at the scene, a British Transport Police spokesman told the Oxford Mail this morning.

The man is currently in the John Radcliffe Hospital in Headington where his condition has been described as stable.

The national Rail Accident Investigation Bureau has been informed and a probe is under way.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "At 9.49pm last night, the driver of the 8.51pm London Paddington to Oxford service reported striking a person in Kennington, near Oxford.

"We can confirm the person concerned was a male member of Network Rail's maintenance team.

"He is understood to have sustained serious, but not life threatening injuries.

"The Rail Accident Investigation Bureau has been called in and we will co-operate fully with their investigation."