Nine people remain in a critical condition following a train crash on Friday near Bedford, about 100 kilometres north of London, in which the driver of one of the services was killed.

Two passenger trains bound for London collided at around 5:15pm local time (9:15pm PKT) on Friday. The driver of one of the trains died at the scene.

Peter Knapp, a doctor who said on a social media site he was on board one of the trains, described a “sudden crash” with one carriage off the rails and said he had sustained minor injuries. Sky News cited him as telling the Press Association that some passengers were unable to speak and had injuries, including broken legs.

Providing an update on those injured in the crash on Saturday, British Transport Police Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi said more than 80 people had received hospital treatment on Friday night.

“As of this morning, 28 remain in hospital, and nine are in a critical condition,” she said, adding that investigators were working to establish what caused the accident.

A video posted on social media by one of the passengers on Friday showed what appeared to be the damaged front of one train entangled with the back of another, with the carriages remaining upright.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer described it as a “devastating incident” in a post on X.

King Charles’ Buckingham Palace also issued a statement, saying: “His Majesty is greatly saddened by the rail crash in Bedford yesterday evening and is being kept regularly updated on developments.

“His thoughts and sympathies are with the family of the deceased and with all those injured or affected by such a tragic incident.”

The LBC news outlet added that the collision reportedly involved two services heading from Nottingham and Corby to London St Pancras International station.

LBC reported that the Corby train “seemed to hit into the back of the Nottingham train”.