The husband of a woman who cheated death when her car was ripped in two by a train has criticised rail safety.

Teacher Ghislaine Wickenden, 45, suffered shock and bruising in the horrific level crossing accident. She is recovering at home.

Her husband, John, said it would be many months before she got over the ordeal and could face driving again.

Now he is questioning safety at the level crossing, saying the barriers stopping traffic should have been lowered sooner.

A Network Rail spokesman said: "This is being treated as a road traffic crash rather than anything to do with the barriers."

Meanwhile, police have named the victim of another level crossing crash on the same day as Derek Boulter, 69, of Harbour Way in Chidham, near Chichester.

Mr Boulter died when the 13.25 Portsmouth to Barnham train slammed into his green Subaru at a crossing by Fishbourne station, near Chichester, at 2.14pm on Friday.

The 30 passengers on the four-car train were thrown from their seats as the front carriage rode over the car, pushing it along the tracks and crushing it beyond recognition.

Mr Boulter's neighbours said he was a keen Chelsea fan and a true gentleman.

One said: "He was very courteous and often called round to talk about football. We would have a banter about how the team was playing. He will be sorely missed."

Another neighbour said: "He will be remembered as a very kind man and a true gentleman."

Mrs Wickenden, 45, was driving to work when her Vauxhall car skidded on ice into the level crossing at Barns Green, near Billingshurst, and then stalled in the path of a Bognor to London Bridge train.

Before Mrs Wickenden, a French teacher at Millais School in Horsham, could restart her vehicle the train approached, activating the half-barrier and trapping the car.

She managed to undo her seatbelt and scramble free moments before the collision, which sliced her car in half.

Mr Wickenden, of Cross Lane, Barns Green, said: "I don't know whether there is a designated amount of time before the barriers go down and the train comes but it should be a much longer delay.

"Trains go thundering through there and there isn't much time at all before the barriers go down. What would have happened if two trains had been passing each other? I shudder to think."

The 11-carriage train, travelling at up to 70mph, pushed the car for 500m after the collision.

Mr Wickenden said: "She's very shocked and shaken and is very tearful. It will take time to get over it."

His wife, who described road conditions as like a skating rink, said her Vauxhall had stalled as she drove over the level crossing.

He said: "There were no level crossing lights flashing and the barriers weren't about to go down when she started crossing but then the car stalled as she went across.

"First she tried to restart the car and then the barriers came down. She just had time to realise what was happening and to get herself out before the train came.

"In that sort of situation all it takes is for the seat belt to jam and you have wasted valuable seconds."

The front two carriages of the train were damaged and the Vauxhall was destroyed.

There was severe disruption on the line and shuttle buses were laid on between Billingshurst and Horsham.

A spokeswoman for Network Rail, which operates the level crossing barriers, said: "There is an automatic half barrier crossing at Barns Green, which means the barriers are triggered as the train comes along the tracks.

"Then, when it passes the level crossing, it triggers another similar system that causes the barriers to lift. We have carried out an investigation and the barriers were working normally."

Meanwhile, the line at Fishbourne remained closed over the weekend while accident investigators inspected the wreckage.

The front part of the train had to be lifted and the Subaru dragged from underneath it.

Limited rail services were expected to resume today. Passengers were advised to contact their local train operator.