Two women were killed when they were hit by a train at a pedestrian level crossing at Steeton last night.

The bodies of the women, who police have not named, were spotted on the foot crossing by a train driver as he travelled past Airedale General Hospital at 9.20pm.

It is believed the women were hit by an earlier train and investigations were continuing today to try to establish when the accident occurred.

British Transport Police officers were called to the scene and found the women's bodies at the bottom of Thornhill Road at the back of the hospital.

A Keighley Coroner's officer said today that the two women were aged 62 and 43 and were both from the Keighley area.

Police were today trying to contact relatives and the Bradford Coroner Roger Whittaker has been informed.

The driver of the Arriva Trains Northern service who spotted the women was travelling from Bradford to Skipton raised the alarm after stopping at the scene.

A spokesman for Arriva said the driver reported seeing a body at 9.20pm at the side of the track to police but said that train was not believed to be responsible for the accident.

A British Transport Police spokesman said: "The bodies of two women were found on the railway. They had died as a result of being struck by a train. The incident is not being treated as suspicious and inquiries are on-going into the exact circumstances surrounding the accident.

"The victims have been identified but their identities will not be released until the next of kin have been contacted."

A Railtrack spokesman said today they had checked that all their warning signs at the stile crossing were in place. Both lines were closed until 10.50pm last night.