THE Potters Bar rail disaster was caused by poor maintenance and inspections, the jury at the inquest ruled today.

After hearing seven weeks of evidence, members retired on Wednesday and returned to announce their verdict at Letchworth today.

The jurors were told during the inquest, presided over by Judge Michael Findlay Baker QC, the cause of the crash was a faulty set of points south of Potters Bar station.

In their ruling today, they said inspections were not carried out properly and the employees inspecting the tracks were not adequately trained.

Most concerning, they said in their verdict, was a railway worker reported a fault the night before the crash, but the wrong section of track was inspected.

Six passengers and one pedestrian were killed when the 12.45pm Kings Cross to Kings Lynn train came off the rails as it passed through the town on May 10, 2002.