12 Mar 2012

Girl in serious condition after being hit by train

6:00 am on 12 March 2012

A four-year-old girl remains in a serious but stable condition in Christchurch hospital after being hit by a train.

She was fishing from a rail bridge, south of the suburb of Belfast, on Sunday afternoon with her two siblings and a family friend, despite security fencing and warning signs prohibiting access.

The girl's 11-year-old sister received minor injuries jumping seven metres from the rail bridge to the ground below to avoid the train.

Despite the train driver braking and reducing the speed of the train, the four-year-old was struck by the front right of the train's cattle shunt and thrown from the track, receiving head injuries.

Police say she is expected to make a full recovery.

Police say the fact the train driver braked and luck were the only reasons that a tragedy was averted.