TWO workmen came within seconds of being hit by a tram as they carried out track works, a report has found.

The two men, who were carrying out work on the Bury-to-Manchester Metrolink track at Radcliffe, managed to scramble to safety, but the tram struck a large tool they left behind.

The men were given inadequate warning of an approaching tram, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report said.

The men had their narrow escape as the tram, travelling between Bury and Manchester Victoria stations, shortly after 9am on November 8, 2005.

The tram struck a large tool which was left on the track as the workmen scrambled to safety.

The report cited an inadequate safety system as the immediate cause of the incident, highlighting insufficient time for a lookout to spot the approaching tram and alert the track workers.

Other contributory factors were found to include the inexperience of a lookout and the fact that the tram driver only sounded the horn briefly to warn of the tram's approach. He also applied the service brake but not the emergency brake after the lookout showed a red flag signalling, for the driver to stop.

A spokesman for the service and maintenance providers Serco Metrolink said: "The factors that contributed to this incident and the recommendations from the investigation reports have now been addressed.

"A review of the rules procedures was already under way prior to this incident, which was the first of its kind on the Metrolink system."

Nine recommendations were detailed by the RAIB in the report.

They covered the future adequacy of safe work arrangements, control room staffing and links to work sites, mentoring and supervision of staff and review of working procedures.