Exclusive: Woman hit by train was missing patient

Visibly distressed passengers were ushered outside as emergency services rushed in to help the 47-year-old, who is recovering from head injuries at Leeds General Infirmary.

Today, the Reporter can exclusively reveal that the woman had gone missing from the Priestley Unit at Dewsbury and District Hospital earlier that day.

Staff from the South West Yorkshire Partnership Foundation Trust did not report her disappearance until more than 25 minutes after she was struck by the train.

A police spokesman said they received a call about a missing patient at 3.40pm.

By that time, British Transport Police had closed the station and paramedics were on the tracks treating the woman.

A Yorkshire Air Ambulance was also preparing to land in the car park.

Services between Leeds and Huddersfield were stopped until around 5pm.

Outside the station, shaken passengers waited for alternative transport.

One woman, who did not want to be named, said: “The train came to a standstill. They said there was an incident. We knew there was somebody under the train because on the opposite side someone was saying ‘Stay still, don’t move, help is on its way.’”

Andrew Spendlove was waiting on the opposite platform.

He said the woman appeared to fall as the Huddersfield-bound train approached at 3.13pm.

He said: “It was like she was diving into a pool. It happened so quickly.”

The foundation trust, which cares for people with mental health problems and learning disabilities, would not comment because of patient confidentiality.

It also refused to say if there would be an internal investigation.

It is not the first time that police have been called in by the trust to look for a missing patient.

A public appeal was issued after a patient went missing during a supervised visit to Sainsbury’s in Dewsbury on March 28. She was found a fortnight later with a relative.