Investigations have started into how a train carrying equipment to a nuclear power station crashed into a lorry on a level crossing near Ashford in Kent.

The train was carrying an empty nuclear flask to Dungeness power station.

The train was not derailed and nobody was hurt in the accident, but the area was sealed off as a precaution.

Kent fire service said the nuclear container was intact.

The accident happened just after 0830 BST on Tuesday, when the train travelling to the Dungeness power plant hit the truck on the Brookland level crossing near the A259 at Brenzett.

A spokesman for British Transport Police said the crossing was expected to be cleared by the end of Tuesday.

The train has been moved and the line is open.

A specialist team from the Dungeness A nuclear power station went to the scene to assss the damage.

Safety zone

A Kent fire serice spokesman said: "The train hit the lorry which was on the level crossing.

"It is too early to say what caused the accident or why the lorry was on the crossing, but an investigation has been launched to find out what happened.

"The train was carrying a nuclear flask at the time which was empty but the area has been sealed off as a precaution."

He said a 100 metre 'safety zone' around the scene of the accident would normally be put in place.

Railtrack said the train was the 0552 BST from Willesden Brent freight yard in north London.

Cab struck

It consisted of two locomotives hauling an empty nuclear flask wagon.

The train was doing less than five miles an hour when it struck the passenger side of the lorry's cab.

Railtrack say the locomotive received only scratches.

The crossing is an unmanned "open" crossing, without barriers but with lights.

The six feet cubed flasks weigh 50 tons and are tested rigorously.

They are designed to withstand a major train accident at high speed.