A suspected suicide on a train crossing followed by a petrol spillage caused chaos for commuters.

First a man was killed when he stepped in front of a 70mph train at a crossing point just north of Hassocks train station.

The incident caused huge disruption to timetables, with operator South Central diverting trains to Lewes and running bus services for passengers.

Then one of the replacement shuttle buses spilled 150 litres of fuel outside the front of Haywards Heath train station at 2pm.

An area by the taxi ranks at the front of the station was cordoned off for four hours while firefighters and Environment Agency workers mopped up the mess.

An investigation has been launched into the death but British Transport Police are not treating it as suspicious.

More than 100 passengers were on the London Victoria to Bournemouth service when the collision happened at 12.10pm yesterday. The track was closed for more than four hours.

The victim is believed to have been in his 30s or 40s and from West Sussex.

British Transport Police Inspector Gary Ancell said: "As far as we know there were no witnesses except the train driver, who is obviously very shaken."

People living near the Woodgate Occupational Crossing, a footpath which runs over the tracks north of Hassocks station, have campaigned for safety improvements for years.

The crossing is part of a public footpath and walkers have to climb wooden steps on either side of it. There are signs warning pedestrians to beware of trains but residents have been concerned because there are no barriers on to the track.

Ian Pack, of nearby Oak Road, said: "It doesn't surprise me this has happened. There needs to be something between the steps and the railway line, maybe a kissing-gate or a railing.

"There is nothing to stop children getting on to the track and it is extremely dangerous."

He added that youngsters often played near the railway link embankment and climbed over fences to get into residents' gardens.

A South Central spokesman said services resumed to normal within a few hours, just in time for the peak-time rush.

Taxis were diverted to a different entrance to the Haywards Heath station forecourt after the spillage.

Haywards Heath leading firefighter Nick Fraser said: "One of the buses taking train passengers only got as far as Haywards Heath when its tank split for some reason.

"We were there until 6pm but eventually managed to get it all mopped up. It could have been quite dangerous, though - 150 litres is a lot of spilt fuel. The place still stinks of petrol."