Inquests into the deaths of the 31 people killed in the Paddington rail crash began in London yesterday.

Among the first to be heard was that of civil servant Anthony Beeton, 47, who joined the Great Western service at Didcot on his way to work.

The inquests, including that of one of the train drivers, were due to resume today. Westminster coroner Dr Paul Knapman was expected to hear more evidence about the accident on the second day in a series of three hearings into the crash.

The victims died when a Thames train leaving Paddington went through a red light and crashed into a Great Western service heading into London on October 5 last year.

Members of Mr Beeton's family were in court to hear how he was killed instantly when the force of the smash flung his body out of carriage H. Mr Beeton, 47, a married father of two, of Wheatfields, Didcot, had a habit of walking to the front of the train as it approached Paddington, the inquest heard, to give himself a head-start on his journey to work at the Northern Ireland Office, where he was one of then Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam's aides.

He was waiting in the carriage lobby by the door when the crash happened. Mr Beeton was identified by his dental records, clothing, personal documents and jewellery.

Inquests being heard today include one on Michael Hodder, who was driving the Thames train out of Paddington station bound for Bedwyn, Wiltshire. Mr Hodder was a 31-year-old father of two from Tilehurst, near Reading.

Emergency services workers yesterday described how they heard screams of victims as they approached the two trains after the collision. One fire officer said vital minutes were lost because they were unable to open gates at the side of the track.

The hearings are at Westminster Coroner's Court sitting at Westminster Council House.

Story date: Tuesday 22 February

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.