A TRAIN driver involved in an accident in which two teenagers died on a rail line has spoken of his anguish that a similar tragedy has happened again.

Andy Scott was driving the Newcastle-bound train that hit Stuart Adams, 15, and Lee Mullis, 14, on a rail bridge in Darlington this year.

Last night, as tributes were paid to 14-year-old Toni Hannant, who died on Friday after she was hit by a 60mph train at Blackhall Colliery, in County Durham, he said: "This is a nightmare; it is such a nasty time for this to happen, just before Christmas."

Mr Scott plans to go into schools to share his story to try to stop children playing on railway lines.

He said: "If I had gone into this girl's school, then this might never have happened.

"People handle it differently. Every time I go past the bridge, I think about the accident and I will think about it every day, even if I am a train driver for another 30 years."

Toni was walking along the line with friends when she was hit by the Middlesbrough to Newcastle train at about 6.30pm.

Over the weekend, grieving friends and relatives placed bouquets of flowers near where she died.

One card read: "Toni, you will always be in our hearts and will be sadly missed."

Another said: "Toni, always thinking of you. Miss all of them parties."

Her father, Michael, 38, said she was a popular girl and had a lot of friends. He said: "I am just gutted. She was a good kid.

"She had never been any bother and she had millions of friends.

"She should not have been on the tracks, but people regularly nip across them. There is a fence, but it is forever being pulled down."

Nigel Barber, a spokesman for Northern Rail, which runs the train service, said: "This is a very unfortunate and tragic accident.

"Our sympathies go out to the family and friends of the young girl.

"We will make sure the driver of the service involved gets all the help and support that he needs.

"It is a sad reminder of how dangerous the railway can be and we want to urge young people to stay away."

Network Rail, which is responsible for the track and the fences running alongside the line, said an investigation was under way.

A spokesman said: "Our thoughts are with the family and an investigation is going on. We will be co-operating with that and we cannot speculate on it."

British Transport Police is also investigating. Sergeant Rob Quarmby said: "When officers attended, there was a gap in the fence. We do have trespass problems in the area at times.

"It is quite a significant fence that has been put up but, obviously, if people are determined enough, they will get through."