Police are waiting to speak to an elderly couple who were injured after a train and a camper van collided at a level crossing near Littleport yesterday afternoon.

The husband and wife, both in their 70s, are believed to have been coming back from a holiday when the crash happened at 4.40pm and both remain in Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge.

The man suffered a compound fracture and will be having surgery later on his foot. His wife, who suffered a broken nose, broken fingers and cuts to her hand and arms, is awaiting surgery to her hand.

Daryl Brown, chief executive of Magpas, which sent a helicopter to the scene, has said both are still 'very shaken' but thankful that their injuries are not more severe.

A British Transport Police spokesman said officers are yet to speak to the two people involved in the collision because they are still in hospital.

Officers are also taking statements from witnesses as well as waiting to review CCTV footage of the incident as they piece together the events leading up to the collision.

Residents living near the crossing, which crosses the busy A10, said last night they heard a 'bang' before hearing sirens shortly after.

The train, which was accelerating as it left nearby Littleport station, came to a halt a few hundred yards up the track from the crossing. It did not leave the rails and none of the 37 passengers on board were injured.

Paramedics and firefighters then took two hours to free the couple. Early reports had suggested three casualties were travelling in the vehicle, but it later emerged the third passenger was a dog who escaped the drama uninjured.

Engineers then worked through the night to re-open the line between Littleport and Downham Market which meant the busy commuter line into London could run as normal this morning.

A Network Rail spokesman said engineers had cleared the scene and carried out repairs by 2am, while an examination of the level crossing has shown that it was in full working order.

'There were some repairs we had to carry out at the level crossing but these were finished by 2am,' he said.

'Everything was sorted out by then and services have been running since the start of the morning.'

The crossing is of the un-manned half barrier type, where lights flash and a single barrier comes down on one side of the road as a train approaches.