MORE horrifying details of the scene on board a passenger express as it plunged from the rails after a collision with a freight train emerged yesterday during the final report into the Selby disaster.

The report by the Health and Safety Executive cleared rail companies and the Highways Agency of any blame.

The accident was the highest speed incident in British railways history. It turned everyday objects in carriages into potentially lethal objects, said investigators.

Waste bins, fire extinguishers and table legs became missiles when the accident happened, while magazine racks and ashtrays also became hazards.

The two trains collided after a Land Rover and trailer left the M62 at Great Heck, near Selby, and ended up straddling the East Coast main line. It was hit by the express train which derailed and then ploughed into the freight train travelling in the opposite direction, killing ten people and injuring another 82.

The accident happened in February last year and Land Rover driver Gary Hart was later jailed for five years after being convicted on ten counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

The report confirmed that there were no defects in track, signalling, maintenance, rolling stock, staff competence or other infrastructure which contributed to the tragedy.

It also confirmed that the safety barriers on the M62 exceeded the length required in the safety standards set down for road-over-rail bridges - although it called for the standards to be reviewed.

The report also revealed the 142mph collision was the fastest speed rail incident in the UK and was "outside the parameters of all recognised crashworthiness standards".

The carriages "performed adequately" in terms of protecting passengers from the crash impact, but the seats in the first-class coaches were less effective than those in standard class.

A number of their floor fastenings failed, the seat structures buckled and arm rests and head rests also became detached.

The report also concluded that the drivers of both trains involved in the collision did everything they could to reduce the crash impact.

Passenger train driver John Weddle and freight train driver Stephen Dunn were among those who died in the tragedy.