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A man who was hit by a train travelling at 100mph after his mobility scooter got stuck on a level crossing in Essex has escaped with only minor injuries.

Paramedics were called to the crossing at Church Street in Kelvedon, near Colchester, at about 11:00 BST.

The man, in his 40s, was taken to Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford.

"We believe the man was struck on the level crossing on a mobility scooter and amazingly received minor injuries," said East of England Ambulance Service.
'Glancing blow'

Essex Fire Service station officer John Harris, who was at the scene, said: "Somehow he ended up the wrong side of the barrier and a train travelling at around 100mph clipped the front of his scooter.

"The man sustained what appeared to be minor injuries, certainly nothing that appeared to be life-threatening.

"The man was extremely lucky: if he had been only a couple of inches further forward he would have undoubtedly been killed."

A Network Rail spokesperson said: "We received a call from a driver that his train had struck a person in a mobility scooter at Church Street level crossing in Kelvedon at approximately 11:15 BST.

"Emergency services were called to the scene and all trains were suspended through the area while they assisted the injured man, who is understood to have received a glancing blow from the train.

"Essex Police confirmed the incident was being treated as non-suspicious and the railway was reopened to traffic at 12:15 BST."

After winning a car makeover to mark the release of Pimp My Ride Street Racing, 72-year-old Harold Churchill opted to have his mobility scooter upgraded instead after quitting driving years earlier. His ^400 scooter was kitted out with a customised body kit, surround sound music system, LED lights, alloy rims, a carbon fibre racing seat and a Nintendo DS in the dashboard.