Spanish train crash: UK victim's family speak of shock

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Media caption,

Robert Spencer, stepfather of Mark Woodward: "He's got tubes everywhere, his head's bandaged up all over"

The stepfather of the only Briton injured in Wednesday's Spanish rail crash has told of his shock at seeing photos of him being led from the scene.

Mark Woodward, 38, originally from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, has a broken pelvis and ribs and has had his spleen removed, Robert Spencer said.

He said his wife had told him her son had "tubes everywhere" in hospital.

The train driver is being held on suspicion of reckless manslaughter over the crash, in which 78 people died.

'Tubes everywhere'

Mr Woodward moved to Galicia with his Spanish wife several years ago, his stepfather said.

Mr Spencer told the BBC he was "just glad" the couple's young child had not been on the train.

He said he had seen pictures of his stepson being carried from the wreckage "like a footballer coming off the field".

"It was a shocking thing to see," he said. "There was blood all over them, a huge gash on his stomach and his head had been really bashed about."

Mark Woodward at Wembley
Image caption,

Mansfield Town fan Mark Woodward now lives in Spain

He added that his stepson had been injured when he was thrown forwards over the seat in front, hitting his head.

Talking about Mr Woodward's mother who has visited the hospital, he said: "She's an experienced nurse, so she's seen worse - she says. But she's not seen her son in that situation."

She told him Mark had "tubes everywhere" and his head was "bandaged up all over".

Driver arrested

Mr Woodward was taken into intensive care after being rescued from the crash earlier this week - one of the worst in Spanish rail history.

The driver of the train is being held under armed guard suspected of reckless homicide, Spain's interior minister has said.

Jose Garzon Amo is under arrest but refusing to answer questions, Spanish officials have said.

The Spanish interior minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz told reporters there was "rational evidence" to believe the driver was responsible.

Reports suggested the Madrid to Ferrol train was travelling at twice the speed limit when it derailed approaching Santiago de Compostela.

Almost 170 people were injured, 32 of them seriously - including children.

Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish prime minister, declared three days of national mourning after the incident.