It is now unlikely that Railtrack will be prosecuted over the Hatfield train crash, despite an admission of liability, warn legal and industry insiders.

Doubts over a number of rail health and safety prosecutions have arisen after Railtrack was placed in administration.

However, the company was fined £50,000 yesterday over the death of 12-year-old Shaun McGrath who was killed while trespassing on a railway line.