The derailment took place 150 yards from the station

A solicitor representing some of those bereaved by the Potters Bar rail crash has called on the government to hold a public inquiry into the disaster.

Seven people were killed and more than 70 injured when the rear coach of a West Anglia Great Northern train heading for King's Lynn in Norfolk was derailed.

Louise Christian said she feared the British Transport Police inquiry into the crash would end with no prosecutions being recommended.

She said: "One year on from the crash, the victims of Potters Bar are in a much worse situation than anyone else in recent disasters.

"Unlike other crashes, there has been no admission of liability and no acceptance of responsibility in this case.

"All the work that police have done will go to waste if there is no prosecution, but at least the information they have gathered could be put to some use if there is a public inquiry."

She said that Railtrack, now superseded by Network Rail, had made interim payments to the victims of the crash but there have been no full settlements.

Ms Christian said: "We think the final offers are going to be very meagre ones."