A RAIL WORKER suffered terrible injuries as he tried to save a York academic who was killed when she fell into the mechanism of a moving walkway, a court heard.

Sociology lecturer Sally Baldwin suffered multiple injuries after falling in front of her ex-husband Jack and other horrified travellers.

Rail worker Vincenzo Pratico battled to save her, but he too suffered severe leg injuries after he was dragged into the walkway. Three directors of OCS, the firm in charge of maintaining the walkway, were charged with manslaughter and negligence, and are currently on trial at Rome's central criminal court.

Domenico Leti, 71, and the two managers in charge of maintenance operations, Leonardo Casali, 32, and Luana Lepore, 28, were charged after the accident at Tiburtina railway station, Rome, in October 2003.

Mr Pratico, still on crutches, told the court yesterday: "I heard a loud scream and I knew instantly something terrible had happened I turned around and saw the lady had fallen through a hole in the walkway."

In tears, he added: "I feel so guilty about not being able to do any more to save her, but I couldn't. I tried my best but there was nothing I could do."

Professor Baldwin, 62, was a former director of the social policy unit at York University.

The trial was adjourned until next month.

Updated: 10:23 Thursday, April 21, 2005