"WE cannot be 100 per cent sure it won't happen again."

That is the message from transport bosses after a freight train derailed in Eastleigh, striking several vehicles before coming to rest.

Two wagons, believed to be carrying gravel, derailed at the depot while travelling at low speed, causing a number of vehicles to be damaged.

As investigators moved onto the site yesterday, Eastleigh Borough Council's transport boss David Airey told the Daily Echo: "No mechanical system will ever be 100 per cent safe and there will always be accidents."

He added: "There have been other derailments in the past for one or other reason but it is an incredibly safe network.

"I am sure there will be a full investigation into what happened here and lessons will be learnt."

A spokesman from the Health and Safety Executive, carrying out the investigation, said it was too early to say what caused the derailment - or even if it had been preventable.

"HSE's investigation will check to see if all equipment was operating to design and check that proper operational arrangements for shunting are in place," he said.

People working at the time of the accident were due to be interviewed late yesterday afternoon.

The slow-speed derailment happened at a goods yard operated by H Young Transport in Tower Lane, Eastleigh, late on Monday night.

There were no injuries, although the train crashed through a metal fence into the yard. It is understood an American-style camper van, a race car transporter and an articulated trailer were damaged.

Officials from English, Welsh and Scottish Railways said the train, made up of 15 wagons, was being shunted at low speed when the accident occurred.

Graham Meiklejohn, from EWS, added: "There is a lot of speculation at the moment as to what caused this low speed derailment. But an investigation is ongoing and it will take as long as necessary to find out exactly what happened."