King Charles sends message of support to Selby rail crash
His note of sympathy was read out during a memorial service on Saturday marking the 25th anniversary of the Selby rail crash, which killed 10 people on February 28, 2001. Ten people lost their lives and 82 were injured when two trains collided near Great Heck at approximately 4.45am on February 28, 2001. RECOMMENDED READING:
It came after a Great North Eastern Railway (GNER) train, travelling from Newcastle to London, struck a Land Rover towing a Renault Savanna on a trailer. The train partially derailing before a southbound Freightliner train collided with a passenger train. The freight train driver, the passenger train driver and eight passengers were killed.
Those killed in the disaster were: Steve Dunn, John Weedle, Christopher Terry, Robert Shakespeare, Raymond Robson, Paul Taylor, Barry Needham, Alan Ensor, Clive Vidgen and Stephen Baldwin. A service was held at Selby Abbey on Saturday (February 28) to remember the victims, attended by families, emergency workers, and railway staff. Tony Thompson, a former British Transport Police superintendent who helped organise the service and was present at the scene in 2001, read out a letter from the King's private secretary.
A copy of the letter was shared with PA read: "It was deeply moving to be reminded of the reverence shown towards both those who lost their lives and those whose lives have been forever changed. 
"His Majesty, whose heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and all those affected, has asked me to send his warmest good wishes to all those who will be gathered for this significant day of remembrance." The memorial included the lighting of candles for each of the 10 victims who lost their lives in the disaster, with attendees including the families of those who died, survivors, emergency services, industry colleagues and LNER representatives. Mr Thompson described the Selby Abbey service as "emotional" and noted the attendance of around 200 people, including the first ambulance officer to arrive at the scene.
He said: "I think obviously any death is important but, when you're part of a national disaster, I think it's really important that you can gather together as a group and remember together and share what has gone on." The crash was caused when a Land Rover, driven by Gary Hart, careered off the nearby M62 motorway after he had little sleep the night before. Hart was unable to move his vehicle from the tracks and was calling emergency services when the crash occurred.
He denied falling asleep at the wheel, but was convicted of 10 counts of causing death by dangerous driving and sentenced to five years in prison, serving around half that time.