Passengers were handed glow sticks and foil blankets after they were trapped on a stranded train after it hit someone on the line late last night.

Travellers were brought to an emergency halt and plunged into darkness as the 22:51 from Deal struck a person on a crossing.

There was no power for around three hours while Southeastern dealt with the emergency, leaving passengers in the pitch black without heating until rail staff quickly distributed space blankets and lights in the form of glow sticks.

It is not known if the person hit was killed.

Services between Dover and Ramsgate were affected.

Sandwich Town Councillor Cllr Paul Carter was one of those on board. He said: “We were ok but stuck for nearly three hours, some in pitch black.

"Southeastern staff were really good and got there very quickly but there was no debrief or checks by Kent police to see if we were ok as passengers, especially after an emergency stop.

"The driver was substituted so he didn’t have to drive back to Ramsgate. It was a very harrowing experience for us waiting in the dark.”