The full horror of a NorthEast tourist's freak death in Italy emerged last night as her former husband described how she fell through a walkway and suffered horrific injuries.

Antique book dealer Jack Baldwin, 64, was standing in front of his former wife, Sarah Marie Baldwin, when she fell through a gap in the walkway, which had been undergoing repair work.

He told railway police inspector Alessandro Mineti: "We were walking together on the walkway, which was stopped.

"All of a sudden I heard a terrible scream and when I turned round Sarah wasn't there anymore - she had just disappeared and had been crushed by the machinery."

The tragedy at Rome's Tiburtina station happened on Tuesday morning, just days after Ms Baldwin, Mr Baldwin and close friend Brian McCrossan had arrived for a three-week holiday in Italy.

Ms Baldwin, a retired lecturer in social policy at the University of York, had been planning to spend her 63rd birthday, next Tuesday, at her former husband's apartment at Fara Sabina, just outside Rome.

The couple were still on good terms despite recently divorcing after more than 30 years of marriage.

Train driver Vincenzo Pratico bravely tried to drag her to safety, but he too was caught in the machinery and suffered a serious leg injury.

As the investigation into the accident continued yesterday, Italy's rail network, RFI, issued a statement denying responsibility.

The statement said: "Escalators and lifts undergo regular maintenance checks."

Rome prosecutor Roberto Staffa is looking into a possible manslaughter charge and an expert technician is expected to examine the walkway today