A man and his dog were killed when they were hit by a train in Gloucestershire yesterday.
The pre-Christmas tragedy struck when the dog walker, whose age is unknown, attempted to cross the railway line with his pet at the Ebley Level Crossing, Stroud, at around 9.30am.
Trains between Swindon and Gloucester / Cheltenham were delayed, re-routed or cancelled as a result. Normal service didn’t resume until after midday.
According to The ABC Railway Guide, Ebley Level Crossing – for use by vehicles and pedestrians – is rated D (with A being the highest risk and M being the lowest), meaning it’s believed to poses a high risk to individual users.
Whilst the cause of the collision is not yet known, the British Transport Police (BTP) have classed it as “non-suspicious”. This means there is not likely to be a criminal element. It’s thought the man’s death was accidental, rather than suicide.
A spokesperson for the BTP said: “Officers were called to the line in Stroud at 9.30am [yesterday morning] following reports of a casualty on the tracks.
“Paramedics also attended however sadly a person was pronounced dead at the scene.
“The incident is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.”
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