Rail firm First Great Western has postponed safety tests due to take place on carriages involved in the Paddington train crash after the latest tragedy in Hertfordshire.

Four people died in the accident on Tuesday and more than 30 were injured when two rear compartments of the 12.10pm Kings Cross to Leeds GNER high-speed train derailed near Hatfield.

In light of the crash the third major rail disaster in as many years train operator First Great Western has decided it would be inappropriate to go ahead with its emergency evacuation exercise tomorrow.

It had provoked anger and distaste from some by planning to use four repaired carriages from one of its high-speed trains involved in the accident in the tests.

Linda Devine, whose father Bryan Tompson, 61, from Ampney Crucis, was killed in the Paddington crash, had condemned the firm's proposals as insensitive. Today, she said she was pleased First Great Western had decided not to go ahead with the exercise for the time being.

"In light of what has happened with this tragedy in Hertfordshire, First Great Western had to postpone these tests," said the 37-year-old from Abbey Meads.

"While safety has got to be a priority, I don't know why they felt they had to publicise that the carriages in the Paddington crash would be used. They should have just got on with it without telling the survivors and relatives of those who died."

The exercise, which would have taken place at Minehead in Somerset, where the repaired carriages are being kept, is designed to test the effectiveness of on-train information notices, safety lighting and other emergency procedures.

When it is eventually carried out it will simulate evacuation from a fire with a team of volunteers from outside the rail industry acting as customers.

Mike Carroll, First Great Western's managing director, said: "Given the nature of the Hertfordshire accident, it would be inappropriate for us to go ahead with this exercise so soon after such a tragic event."