A person was hit by a train yesterday evening causing delays across the Brighton mainline.

The person was hit by the train on Monday evening with trains cancelled between Haywards Heath and Brighton as a result.

Southern Rail say that disruption lasted into the early hours of the morning while emergency services dealt with the incident.

A spokesman for the rail company said that the incident took place shortly before 10pm on July 8.

The company, part of Govia Thameslink Railway, which runs services on the Brighton mainline, said: “It is with great sadness that we report a person has been hit by a train between Haywards Heath and Brighton.

"All lines were blocked between these stations whilst the emergency services worked to deal with this incident.”

Replacement buses were put in place while some services were diverted to Brighton or terminated at Gatwick Airport.

The disruption lasted until roughly 2am this morning.

When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.