Croydon tram: Seven dead and 50 injured after derailment

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Seven people have died and dozens more have been injured after a tram overturned in London. People were trapped inside and more than 50 were taken to hospital after the derailment in Croydon just after 06:00 GMT.

The tram driver, 42, from Beckenham, has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. British Transport Police said they were investigating whether he fell asleep.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said the tram was travelling at a "significantly higher speed than is permitted". The police have set up a number - 0800 0560154 - for friends and family to call for information.

Deputy Chief Constable Adrian Hanstock said: "After liaison with the coroner, we can confirm that at least seven people have lost their lives as a result of this incident. "Our officers will continue to work tirelessly throughout the evening to formally identify them and provide care and support for their families."

London Ambulance Service said eight people have serious or life-threatening injuries, while a total of 51 had been taken to two hospitals.

obin Smith, Assistant Chief Constable of the British Transport Police, said they were investigating whether the driver fell asleep, alongside "a number of factors". The RAIB said the Wimbledon-bound tram derailed as it was negotiating a "sharp, left-hand curve" which has a speed limit of 12 mph.

Trams are not fitted with any safety protection systems that apply the brakes automatically if they are going too fast, according to the Office of Rail and Road. The overturned tram remains on its side next to an underpass and appears to have derailed where the track branches.

Martin Bamford, 30, from Croydon, was on the tram. He said "everyone just literally went flying".

He said people were screaming and there was "blood everywhere", describing the scene as "like something out of a film". Speaking outside Croydon University Hospital, where he is being treated for fractured or broken ribs, Mr Bamford said: "There was a woman that was on top of me ... I don't think she made it at all. She wasn't responsive. There was blood everywhere."

Kudirat Okesola said her husband was travelling on the tram and suffered a "massive" cut on his face. She said some people trapped underneath the tram were calling for help. "People were screaming. People were crying," she said.

Andy Smith said he was waiting at a nearby bus stop when he heard "what sounded like a screeching noise, then a bang". He said: "[I looked] down the track and I saw carnage. There was a lot of screaming, panicking and commotion. It was a macabre scene."

Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell said his friend was on the tram. "He's been injured, he's in hospital, he's going to be ok. But it's been a very shocking day for the whole community here.

"Thousands of people use these every day to get to work, to get to school and they're one of the best things about Croydon; we've got this fantastic modern environmentally-friendly transport system and it's had a great safety record. "So this has come as a great shock."