THE full horror of a York professor's death while on holiday in Italy emerged today.

Professor Sally Baldwin, 62, of St John's Street, York, was with friends, including her ex-husband Jack Baldwin, when she fell through a moving walkway at Tiburtina Railway Station in Rome on Tuesday.

Mr Baldwin, 64, of Coatbridge, near Glasgow, who was standing in front of his former wife when she fell, told railway police inspector Alessandro Mineti: "We were walking together on the walkway, which was stopped.

"All of a sudden I heard a terrible scream and when I turned round (Professor Baldwin) wasn't there anymore - she had just disappeared and had been crushed by the machinery."

Professor Baldwin, who worked in the social policy department at the University of York and was a board member of York Hospitals NHS Trust, had been planning to spend her 63rd birthday next Tuesday at Mr Baldwin's apartment just outside Rome.

The couple were still on good terms despite divorcing after more than 30 years of marriage.

Lanarkshire-born Professor Baldwin leaves a husband, Joe Callan, and two daughters.

As the investigation continued, Italy's rail network, RFI, issued a statement denying responsibility, saying: "Escalators and lifts undergo regular maintenance checks."

Rome prosecutor Roberto Staffa is looking into a possible manslaughter charge.

Otis, which manufactured the walkway, said it was "mystified" by the tragedy as power had been switched off and barriers erected around the walkway.

This was disputed by passenger Claudio Valletti who said he raised the alarm two hours earlier that something was wrong with the walkway.

Mr Valetti said: "I had just got on the walkway when a piece came away in front of me. I almost went down the hole. I was only saved by a woman behind me grabbing hold of me.

"I went to the railway police office and told them about it. They went and had a look but said they could find nothing wrong."

Updated: 13:58 Thursday, October 30, 2003