BOSSES of vegetable growers Simms and Woods, which rents around 120 acres at White House Farm, have launched their own investigation into why the minibus was on the crossing at the time of the accident.

The Wyre Piddle-based company said there seemed to be no reason for the vehicle to be there.

Simms and Woods grows salad onions and leeks at Whitehouse Farm and sublets parts of the farm to other local vegetable producers.

In a statement, Simms and Woods said: "Gang labour is used in the daily hand harvesting of produce on the farm. This labour arrives in minibuses to the production area.

"It appears that the vehicle involved was attempting to deliver harvest workers to the current production field. Simms and Woods Ltd at present have no crops on the northern side of the railway line suitable for harvesting and we are still trying to establish why the van was in fact using the crossing.

"We are undertaking our own investigation and are liaising fully with all relevant agencies to establish the cause of the crash."