HACHESTON lorry driver Mike Read is to make his first appearance in court next month charged with dangerous driving after a collision with a train in which 11 people were injured.

HACHESTON lorry driver Mike Read is to make his first appearance in court next month charged with dangerous driving after a collision with a train in which 11 people were injured.

The date of the hearing has been set for September 25.

The 41-year-old has been summonsed to appear at South East Suffolk Magistrates Court in Ipswich.

He will be formally charged with the offence of dangerous driving at the hearing which is scheduled for 2pm on the day.

If found guilty of dangerous driving Read, of The Street, Hacheston, could face up to two years in jail and an unlimited fine.

At the time of the accident, on April 15, Read had been heading away from Blaxhall Hall Farm, in Blaxhall, with a load of crop insulation fleece when his lorry was in collision with the 10.10am train from Lowestoft to Ipswich.

The trailer of the vehicle was left a crumpled mess by the impact and the rolls of fleece were strewn around the level crossings where the crash occurred.

One set of the train's wheels left the track but the carriage remained upright and as a result injuries among the passengers were kept to a minimum.

However, eight passengers were taken to Ipswich Hospital and another three, including the train driver and conductor, were taken to James Paget Hospital.

None of the injuries were life threatening.

It is believed compensation claims by companies and individuals affected by the crash are already being made and are bordering on a seven figure sum. These are likely to rise still further.