A RUNAWAY trolley caused a railway crash.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has launched an investigation into a crash in Cheshire.

At around 5am on May 26, a track trolley being used to transport equipment hurtled down a hill towards a work site and a team of track workers.

It had rolled away from the team who were using it after its breaks became ineffective.

After travelling around 1,100 metres uncontrolled, the trolley stopped when it collided with equipment being used to move rails within the work site.

Thankfully, the workers had seen it coming and were able to move clear of its path.

As such, no one was injured but the trolley did derail, causing damage to itself and the rail-moving equipment it struck.

The investigation by RAIB will look to identify 'the sequence of events which led to this accident', which happened near North Rode.

They will also consider the design and maintenance of the trolley, the actions of those involved and anything that may have influenced them, the arrangements put in place to manage and control the risks of trolley use, and any underlying management factors.

The investigation will be conducted independently of any investigation by the railway industry or the industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

Findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, will be published upon conclusion pf the investigation.