New 'suicide' tests on car in rail tragedy

New forensic tests have been ordered to establish whether the car driver at the centre of the Berkshire rail tragedy intended suicide. Chef Brian Drysdale's car caused the disaster, in which seven people died, when it was hit by the Plymouth express on a level crossing last Saturday.

But amid claims the 39-year-old may have been diagnosed with HIV, police want to know whether the car engine was running at the time, had stalled or been switched off, or suffered a breakdown.

A female friend of Mr Drysdale, who gave her name only as Smady, told the Standard the suicide theory was "rubbish". He had pulled out of a drinking weekend because he was saving for a deposit on a new house and had "planned to spend last weekend packing".

Smady, 38, added: "He always used to forget to put petrol in his car."