A commuter who claims he broke his collarbone when a train shunted a broken-down engine is taking legal action.

Father-of-one John Lawrence, 40, was travelling on the 14.37 from London's Victoria to Brighton when he says an announcement was made to passengers that a train had broken down on the line outside Haywards Heath.

He said passengers were told their train was going to try to push the broken down one out of the way.

Mr Lawrence, of Piddinghoe Avenue, Peacehaven, said: "After about 35 minutes there were three loud explosions which we found out later were detonators on the line to let the train know there's a broken down train on the line in front."

Mr Lawrence, a project engineer with a London construction firm, said the train was packed because of the fuel crisis and he was standing, holding on to a rail near a doorway.

He said when the shunt took place he was thrown into the partition screen, between carriages, breaking his collarbone and tearing ligaments in his shoulder.

He said: "It was quite alarming, especially after Hatfield and Paddington. The train hit the one in front, not fast, but it hit it and the carriages rocked to and fro quite violently."

He added: "During the last 20 weeks I have had treatment, X-rays, MRI scans and if it does not get better I will have to have a cortisone injection and, if that does not work, surgery."

Now he has instructed solicitors to take legal action against rail company Connex and is appealing for other passengers on the train on September 15 to come forward.

He has also written to the Health and Safety Executive to report the "shunting" incident.

A spokesman for Connex said: "Mr Lawrence's claim will be dealt with in the normal way through our claims department."

Anyone who may have been on the train can call Mr Lawrence on 0771 3299121.