An elderly woman killed when she stepped in front of a train at a level crossing had an undiagnosed brain tumour that may have have affected her hearing or sight, an inquest heard yesterday.

Margaret Evans, 80, was struck by an express train travelling at about 90mph at Tackley and dragged a quarter of a mile down the track before it could stop, Oxford Coroner’s Court was told.

Driver Anthony Whitehead said he blew the horn as he was approaching Tackley Station and glimpsed Mrs Evans crossing the line moments before he hit her.

He said: “I was doing approximately 87 to 90 mph. As I approached the station from the time I blew my horn, the crossing was clear. Halfway down the crossing I looked at my speedo and looked back and an elderly lady was starting to cross the down side of the railway line on my right. By this time I was at the far end, I was very close to her.

“She quickly glanced at the train but it was the point of no return, she did her best to get to the other side.

“I heard the impact.”

British Transport Police investigator Gary Matthias ruled out suicide and believed Mrs Evans may have thought the approaching train was the local service to Oxford which stopped at the station.

In fact it was the intercity train — which did not stop at Tackley — running 15 minutes late.

He said: “In my own opinion Mrs Evans went to cross to go to (the train to) Oxford, saw the train and thought it was a stopping service.

“I didn’t think it was intentional at all.”

Mr Matthias told the jury when shorter people entered the railway crossing area their view could be obscured by the platform, but before they stepped on to the line there was a clear view.

Mrs Evans, a Scottish dancing teacher, died of multiple injuries. During the post mortem a tumour was found which pathologist Dr Elizabeth Soilleux believed may have affected her sight or hearing.

Weeks before she died in March this year she had complained to her GP of wax in her ear.

Close friend Dr Eva Wagner told the hearing Mrs Evans, a widow, had some hearing problems.

She said: “I was aware of her not being deaf, but just sometimes not hearing properly.”

She said her friend was not depressed and had lots to live for, including completing a thesis about Alzheimers and euthanasia.

Network Rail is in talks with county, district and parish councils over the crossing, which complies with Government guidelines, and have announced a complete assessment of the site with a view to improving safety. Coroner Nicholas Gardiner asked to be given a copy of the report, due next spring.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

Mr Gardiner said: “The circumstances are having been struck by a train, possibly as a result of confusing the through train for a stopping train.”