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March 9, 2007updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Carlisle paper swings into action after train crash

By Press Gazette

Journalists on the News & Star, Carlisle, worked through the night on Friday after news broke of a derailed train in Cumbria.

Reporter Keir Mudie was celebrating his birthday with colleagues when just before 9pm the call came that a London to Glasgow train had crashed, leaving one dead and five seriously injured.

The party split up with some rushing to the scene of the crash 45 miles away and the rest returning to the newsroom to break the news online and work on the early morning edition of the paper.

The News & Star kept readers abreast of the changing situation such as travel arrangements and emergency phone lines which had been set up.

Six reporters, three photographers worked on the story through Friday night and with the help of sub-editors and newsdesk colleagues were able to produce five pages of coverage into Saturday's paper.

The issue printed an hour early at 7am and a special late final was brought out in the morning with up to date images.

Both splashes featured exclusive front-page pictures, witness accounts, a colour piece and information from a 2am press conference.

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Some staff worked extra shifts over the weekend to produce seven pages covering the crash for Monday's paper.

Duty news editor Pam McClounie said: "It was amazing how the party was abandoned and everyone pulled together so quickly.

"The story was changing by the minute as the emergency services rescued passengers from the wrecked carriages. Our staff were there to see it all unfold."

Timing of the crash meant the print version of the weekly Westmorland Gazette was unable to publish the story in the paper but carried video reports from the scene.

News editor said Mike Addison said: "It will be a week old by the time the Gazette comes out so we are hoping for a new line. We were obviously updating the story on the web and had regular videocasts."

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

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