Police have condemned vandals after a train travelling at 90mph hit a pile of concrete blocks which had been left on a Tamworth railway line.
British Transport Police (BTP) said the train, travelling from Birmingham to Nottingham, was badly damaged when it hit the blocks and other debris and warned the accident could have had catastrophic consequences.
The train, which was carrying around 50 passengers, had to be taken out of service after the incident at 11.30pm on Thursday.
The driver managed to bring the train to a halt after hitting the objects, which included concrete, wooden pallets and sandbags, near Cadogan Road, Dosthill.
No-one was injured, but the driver was said to be extremely shaken by the incident.
Chief Inspector Allan Gregory, of BTP, said: "Reckless acts of vandalism such as this can cause serious injury or worse - the death of passengers or train crew.
"I cannot emphasise strongly enough the dangers associated with this type of crime and the possible catastrophic consequences.
"I would urge anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area on Thursday evening to come forward, as they may have vital information that can assist with our inquiries."
Anyone with information relevant to the inquiry is asked to call BTP on 0800 405040.
