Fatal Level Crossing Failure
Mother killed, daughter injured in Lancashire train crash as level crossing safety systems fail
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Key Points
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The crash occurred at the Hoghton Station Road level crossing, described as an automatic half-barrier crossing on Station Road near Preston in Lancashire.
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The eight-year-old daughter who was in the car remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition following the collision.
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Family tributes emphasize Kerry Coombes’s character, with relatives describing her as a loving daughter, sister, partner and devoted mum who brought so much love and kindness to those around her.
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Lancashire County Council leader Stephen Atkinson paid tribute, calling Kerry a much-valued member of the council family and saying the loss is devastating for the community.
A 33-year-old social worker was killed and her eight-year-old daughter left critically injured after a train struck their car at a level crossing in Hoghton, Lancashire, on June 25. The automated barriers never came down, the warning lights never activated, and the alarm never sounded — all three safety systems failed as the 7.51am Northern service passed through Mirror.
The victim, Kerry Coombes, worked for Lancashire County Council. Her daughter remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition, Leeds Live reported.
Three Safety Systems Failed at the Same Moment
The Hoghton Station Road crossing is an automatic half-barrier crossing. When a train approaches, lights should flash, an alarm should sound, and barriers should lower across the road. On the morning of June 25, none of that happened, according to Examiner Live. The train passed through a green signal, meaning the train itself was operating normally. The failure was entirely on the crossing side.
SWNS reported that rail chiefs confirmed the barriers were actually raised in the moments before the train struck the car. That detail points to a possible fault in the system that controls the barrier sequence — raising questions about whether the crossing gave a false clear rather than simply doing nothing.
RAIB Launches Full Inquiry into Crossing Safety Failure
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has opened a full inquiry into the crash. Preliminary findings focus on the critical failure of the crossing's safety systems, Head Topics reported. Investigators are also looking at systemic factors — meaning they want to know whether this was a one-off fault or a sign of deeper problems in how such crossings are managed and maintained.
Network Rail is cooperating with the investigation. The RAIB inquiry is expected to examine maintenance records, inspection logs, and the management of risk at automatic crossings more broadly. Calls have already grown for a wider review of crossing safety procedures across the UK rail network, Leeds Live reported.
Family and Council Pay Tribute to Kerry Coombes
Kerry Coombes's family described her as "a loving daughter, sister, partner and devoted mum who brought so much love and kindness to those around her," according to Mirror. She was 33 years old and worked as a social worker — a job built around protecting vulnerable people in the community.
Lancashire County Council leader Stephen Atkinson called Kerry "a much-valued member of the council family" and said "the loss is devastating for the community," Examiner Live reported. Her daughter, who was in the car with her, remains in hospital as investigators continue their work.
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