A teenage train passenger was killed when he reached out to close an open door and was hit by an oncoming train.

An inquest jury heard Wesley Salmon, 18, tried to shut the door as the train sped through the Bo-Peep tunnel, St Leonards, en route to Bexhill.

Scott Bartholomew, 20, from Bexhill, told the hearing: "I noticed the train door came open and I looked over and I noticed Wesley got up and leaned out to try and close it.

"He couldn't close it the first time and he leant out again and then another train came.

"The wind was obviously too strong to close the door. He must have only leaned out for a minute."

Wesley, of Silverhill Avenue, St Leonards, had been chatting with a group of five teenagers shortly before he was killed on October 28.

Witness Michael Jones said in a statement: "I was in total disbelief at what had happened.

"The children were in a terrible state. We concentrated on looking after the children. They were all distressed and wanted their families."

Mark Colbran, driver of the train which struck Wesley, said he felt a thud but could not have avoided the collision.

The jury returned a verdict of death by misadventure.

An investigation into how the door came open was launched by police.

A youth is to appear in court next month charged with causing danger to a person on a railway line.