Two people have been critically injured after a passenger train hit a sewage tanker at a level crossing in Suffolk.

The rear of the train's two carriages derailed in the accident at Little Cornard, near Sudbury at around 5.30pm, a fire brigade spokeswoman said.

A total of 18 people are believed to have been hurt, 14 of whom were described as walking wounded. Two people including the train driver suffered life-threatening injuries and two more were injured less severely.

A spokesman said: "The road vehicle was struck by the 17.31 National Express East Anglia service from Sudbury to Marks Tey."

He added: "The crossing is a user-worked crossing with gates and telephone. The Network Rail signaller did not receive a phone call from the user of the crossing."