AN Ely driver suspected of driving onto Littleport railway track in the path of an oncoming train has been arrested for a string of offences, British Transport Police has confirmed. The 22-year-old, who is from Ely, is accused of driving onto the tracks a

AN Ely driver suspected of driving onto Littleport railway track in the path of an oncoming train has been arrested for a string of offences, British Transport Police has confirmed.

The 22-year-old, who is from Ely, is accused of driving onto the tracks at Padnal Bank when the barriers were down, seconds before the King's Lynn to King's Cross service headed through at 11.30pm.

A spokesperson for British Transport Police said: "We can confirm that a 22-year-old man from Ely has been arrested for dangerous driving, endangering safety on the railway, driving with no insurance and driving under the influence of drink and drugs following a collision between a car and a train at Littleport level crossing in Ely, Cambridgeshire on Friday, October 17.

"The man has been bailed pending further police enquiries and will return to answer his bail on December 18."

Landlord of the nearby Black Horse Pub, Harald Rauch, described how his customers had rushed out to try and help the man, who was trapped in the vehicle and had to be cut free by the fire service.

All 30 passengers and the train's driver were unhurt, but the train services were disrupted until the following morning.

The car driver suffered slight injuries - he was attended to by paramedics at the scene, taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge and later released.