Collision with cows badly damages train

The Overlander train struck between 20 and 25 cows wandering on the tracks between Tokomaru and Shannon last night.

Passenger Roger Moore, who boarded the Auckland-to-Wellington service at Taumarunui, said the front engines were severely damaged by the collision at 7.35pm.

Cows had been thrown over the top of the train and it was splattered with blood.