An investigation has been launched after a passenger was dragged under a train at West Wickham suffering ‘life-changing injuries’.

A woman in her 20s was pulled under the Southeastern train on April 10, just after 11.30am.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) are investigating the incident, after it transpired the woman’s bag strap became caught in the doors as she tried to leave the train.

It appears a design fault with the doors led to the horrific accident, and preliminary testing revealed passengers can be misled by the illuminated ‘open door’ button even if the driver has initiated the door closing sequence.

This is especially so when no other doors have been opened in the carriage, meaning the ‘warning’ alarm for doors closing does not sound, and doors can close very suddenly with considerable force.

On the day of the accident, a trainee driver accompanied by an instructor was driving the train en route to Hayes.

MORE TOP STORIES The train was formed of two four-car carriages, and another passenger had gotten off the train using the doors of the third car from the first part of the train.

Shortly after, the woman opened the fourth set of doors and attempted to leave the train.

Before the doors had fully opened they began to close, and although she had gotten off the train her bag strap became trapped.

Neither the trainee nor the instructor noticed she had become stuck as the train pulled away from the station.

While she was still trying to free herself and the strap, the train began to move and she was pulled along the platform before falling.

She was dragged off the platform under the moving train, and was later taken to hospital with head and leg injuries.

Following the incident and initial testing, warnings were issued to all train operators urging them to check for this flaw.

The RAIB has advised that staff are briefed about this potential risk, and a further final check is made before the train pulls away.

The investigation, which is independent of any investigation by the railway industry or by the industry’s regulator the Office of Rail and Road, will be published in due course.