A young labourer who turned to drugs after his partner left him was found dead on a railway track, an inquest heard.

Edmund Draper, 25, died from head injuries after being struck a glancing blow by a train inside Lewes Railway Tunnel.

CCTV captured Mr Draper entering the station at about 2pm on June 4.

The pictures lost sight of him as he clambered on to the track and 15 minutes later a train passed slowly through the tunnel.

An Eastbourne inquest heard yesterday the impact with that train had probably proved fatal.

His body was spotted at 7am the following morning, when train driver Peter Dewitt saw the body face down.

The inquest could not fully explain why Mr Draper, of Battsbridge Road, Maresfield, near Uckfield, had gone on to the track.

One theory by his father, also called Edmund, was he had gone to relieve himself. Another was that he was passing the time before an appointment with his probation officer.

The inquest heard Mr Draper had psychiatric problems that had led to him being sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

His family said they stemmed from drug use. Toxicology tests revealed traces of cocaine and cannabis in his body when he died.

His father, also of Battsbridge Road, Maresfield, insisted that, despite Mr Draper's fragile mental state, he was never suicidal.

He said his son "took a blow" when his relationship ended, resulting in his children being taken away from him.

His son had taken solace in drugs, mainly cannabis, following the break-up about four years ago but continued working.

Recording a misadventure verdict, East Sussex coroner Alan Craze said he was satisfied Mr Draper had not intended to commit suicide and there was no third-party involvement.