CALLS are growing for a public inquiry after four local men were killed by a runaway wagon as they worked on the West Coast Mainline at Tebay, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Railway workers union the RMT has demanded a public inquiry after Gary Tindall, 46, from Tebay; Chris Waters, 54, from Morecambe; Colin Buckley, 49, from Carnforth; and 30-year-old Darren Burgess, also from Carnforth; died when a 15ft long flat-bed trolley carrying replacement track rolled four miles from The Scout Green Depot north of Tebay before ploughing into them.

The wagon had become detached from a stationary train at the depot. When it hit the men it would have been travelling at around 40mph after careering silently downhill in the darkness.

The dead were among a group of ten men working on the track close to where the A685 crosses the M6 - just south of Tebay village.

Three other workers were taken to Royal Lancaster Infirmary with leg injuries. One underwent surgery for "serious, though not life threatening injuries."

Peter Davies, of The British Transport Police, said officers arriving at the crash site were confronted with "a scene of devastation."

The site is being treated as a crime scene and a joint investigation by the British Transport Police and the Health and Safety Executive has been launched to consider who, if anyone, should be prosecuted over the incident. Inquiries will focus on commun-ication between the depot and the workers on the line and the mechanical condition of the runaway wagon, which has been taken away for technical tests.

Calling for a public inquiry, Andy Boyack of the RMT said it was not the first incident of its kind but it was the first time people have been hurt or killed by a runaway wagon.

The union has also called for a suspension of all similar works on lines across the country.

The men were all working for rail contractor Carillion. Paula Manning, group corporate affairs director, said: "Our condolences go to the families of the men killed and injured, they were in a Carillion team affected by this. We are helping the police in any way we can with the investigation."

The incident led to the closure of the West Coast Line between Oxenholme and Penrith.