This shocking photograph shows how close a train driver came to losing his life after smashing into a fallen tree – at nearly 100mph.
The image shows tree branches packed into the cab and sticking out the window after the high speed collision.
A driver suffered suffered cuts, bruises and two fractures to his wrist after hitting the tree while travelling from London Paddington to Penzance in Cornwall.
The tree had fallen onto the line and the driver, from Plymouth, Devon, noticed the obstruction while travelling at 120mph.
He was only able to slow to 90mph before the collision and managed to escape the cab before the branches smashed inside.
The tree, which had fallen onto the line near Lavington, Wiltshire, shattered the windscreen and destroyed the controls.
Colleagues and friends of the driver described him as ”lucky to be alive” following the accident at about 2.15pm on Saturday.
Despite the 90mph impact, he is understood to have made an emergency call himself before being taken to the Royal United Hospital in Bath by ambulance.
All 200 passengers escaped unhurt and British Transport Police have launched an investigation into the incident.
A Network Rail spokesman said the tree fell from private land beside the track.
