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Rail disruption blamed on didgeridoo

20 May 2004 - A didgeridoo sparked two terror alerts on the Wimbledon to Blackfriars line when a train driver twice mistook it for a rocket launcher.

The Thameslink driver first spotted a middle-aged man wearing camouflage gear apparently take aim with the didgeridoo at Herne Hill station at about 2.40pm on Saturday, May 8.

The 2.24pm Blackfriars to Wimbledon service was then held at platform four while British Transport Police conducted a thorough search of the train.

They did not find a trace of any rocket launchers, but a woman on another platform told them that a man answering the description given by the driver had got off the train carrying a didgeridoo.

CCTV footage later confirmed the man had been seen playing the aboriginal instrument in the centre of Herne Hill.

The train went on its way, and police thought that was the end of it until another report came in from New Scotland Yard just after 5.30pm.

This one stated that a passenger wearing camouflage carrying a firearm was on the same train going in the opposite direction at Loughborough Junction.

The same driver was in charge of the train and it was almost 20 minutes before police found the didgeridoo player sitting in one of the carriages.

A spokesman for the British Transport Police said: "This is a hilarious story, but it caused a lot of disruption for no apparent reason.

"Whenever there are incidents involving firearms we have to take the advice of the Metropolitan Police.

"Their officers have to be 100 per cent certain because of the possible consequences."

Source: London Evening Standard

Further information:

• Comisión Internacional de Estratigrafía (en inglés)