INVESTIGATORS are focusing today on evidence suggesting a suicide driver caused the Berkshire train crash that killed seven people.

It has emerged that a police officer desperately tried to avert the tragedy and believes a motorist on the track may have committed suicide.

The off-duty officer had seen a saloon car on the crossing and then watched as the barriers moved into the closed position with the vehicle still there.

The Thames Valley Police officer ran to the emergency phone at the crossing to summon help - but the London to Plymouth First Great Western express train struck the car before he could get through.

The car driver - a man - was one of seven people killed in the accident at the automatic half barrier outside the village of Ufton Nervet, near Reading, on Saturday night.

Eyewitness Mark Penston, who spoke to the officer, said: "The policeman said he had seen the car stop on the line. He said it was a suicide."

A police spokesman said that investigating officers had not ruled out the possibility the car driver was attempting to commit suicide.

When asked whether officers would be looking at the man's medical history, Deputy Chief Constable Andy Trotter of the British Transport Police, said: "We never jump to conclusions, but obviously this is a major line of inquiry when you get such unusual behaviour.

"We won't make any assumptions.

"One of the reasons why we're going to examine the motor vehicle in such detail is to see if there are any other explanations for what might have happened."

He added that police had not yet spoken to members of the man's family.

None of those killed have been named but the train driver, who was among the fatalities, is believed to have been based in Exeter and lived in Torquay.

Passengers told how they used mobile phones and novelty glowsticks as impromptu torches to guide them to safety.

Student Jonathon Stace, 21, from London, who suffered an arm injury, said: "The lights went out. I felt like we spun over and after that I could feel bodies going on top of me and being thrown different places."

Ian Horler, 37, from Newbury, Berkshire, told how his partner Sharmin Bacchus, also 37, had been helped by other passengers after suffering broken ribs and a fractured pelvis, including a "mystery" man, a Marine called Tom, who he was eager to contact. Mr Horler said: "This journey was the first time she had travelled on a train for seven years. We will be interested for him (Tom)

to get in touch as she feels that he saved her life."

HAMPSHIRE emergency services played a key role in responding to the worst rail crash in years.

Four appliances from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service crossed the county border to help free people trapped in the wreckage.

Hampshire Ambulance Service ferried injured passengers to nearby hospitals including at least six people to the North Hampshire Hospital in Basingstoke. Last night a hospital spokesman said those who remained were all "stable".

Some 19 people were reported to still be in hospital last night.

Six ambulances attended from Basingstoke, Whitchurch and Andover along with four officers, three emergency care doctors and a control vehicle.

Rob Ellery, head of HAS support services, said: "Hampshire crews played a key role in supporting their Berkshire colleagues and treating and transporting patients to hospital. They responded extremely professionally."