One person has died and a number of people have been injured after two trains collided in the Bedford area, with emergency services still at the scene and commuters battling long delays during the evening rush hour.
The two East Midlands railway services involved were the 4.40pm from Corby to St Pancras and the 3.50pm Nottingham to London St Pancras, the rail operator said.
Air ambulance helicopters were on the ground after the collision happened just south of the Elstow interchange between the A421 and the A6.
The Times reported that Bedford hospital staff had been told to expect as many as 50 injured people.
Members of the public were told to stay away from local hospital emergency departments last night unless they were suffering form a genuine emergency.
A Rail, Maritime and Transport union spokesperson said it was deeply concerned by reports of a train collision and the “serious injuries sustained by on-board train staff and passengers”.
East Midlands railway services to and from London St Pancras were suspended for the rest of the night.
The prime minister, Keir Starmer, wrote on X: “Hugely concerning reports of a collision involving two passenger trains near Bedford.
“First and foremost, my thoughts are with the family of the person who has sadly lost their life, and with those who have been seriously injured.
“I am grateful to the emergency services for their swift response to this tragic incident.”
Video posted on social media showed a damaged purple Luton Airport Express tain and passengers standing alongside the tracks.
Dr Peter Knapp, a passenger in the front carriage of one of the trains involved posted on Bluesky: “Train heading south from Bedford crashed at 17.12. Front of train ok, third carriage off the rails.
“I’m ok with bloody legs and back impact. Others are not good. Sudden crash, no slowing down or horns. No warning.
“No explosion, just stopped instantly.”
Knapp, 40, added: “There was a moment of being flung into the chair in front and then I saw smoke. People were crying, screaming, people were so scared and confused.
“I got up and I saw a lot of people who were unable to speak, had broken legs, and then I managed to get out of the train and because I’m quite thin I was able to squeeze out through the gap un the doors.
“My first thought was I needed to get out of the train just in case it was a terrorist explosion. i thought it was safer to get off the train.”
Knapp said he had not felt the train slow down before the crash, but other passengers told him they had.
He said he saw people with “life-threatening, major injuries, minor injuries” as well as “people with bandages, people who couldn’t see straight”, while others like him were still able to walk.
Knapp said: “I’ve got blood all over my trousers and my back hurts like hell but I’m alright.”
The rail accident investigation branch said a team of inspector was at the scene of the collision to start gathering evidence.
Bedford and Kempston MP, Mohammad Yasin, said he was “very sorry” to hear of the incident.
One of the trains involved was the new East Midlands railway Aurora, which came into service last year.
