CARRIAGES salvaged from the Paddington rail disaster were used in a safety exercises to simulate an evacuation from a fire on board a high-speed train.

More than 100 people took part in the simulation on Tuesday, which was organised by train operators First Great Western, using two carriages which were involved in last year's disaster.

The company provoked anger and criticism from some of the relatives of those who died in the crash when it announced it would be carrying out the tests.

A total of 31 people died in the accident last October when a number of carriages at the front of the First Great Western service burst into flames and were destroyed.

Among those who died, were 35-year-old computer programmer David Roberts, from Swindon. Another victim was freelance engineer Bryan Tompson, 61, from Ampney Crucis, near Cirencester. His daughter, Linda Devine, lives in Abbey Meads. Among the survivors were Lee Tyack, 26, of Woodhall Park, and Janette Orr, 37, of Nine Elms.

The crash involved the First Great Western Cheltenham to Paddington service which collided with a Thames train at Ladbroke Grove, just outside London's Paddington station.

In the exercise, at Minehead, a number of the volunteers, which included children and disabled people, came off coughing and running from one of the carriages which was deliberately filled with smoke.

The exercise was designed to test a range of safety measures which the firm has either introduced or is considering bringing in.

First Great Western managing director Mike Carroll said he was pleased with how the exercise had gone and the firm would now debrief everyone involved to see what lessons could be learned.