Passengers were forced to evacuate a train after it hit a scooter, it's been revealed.

Carriages on the 18.01 service from Charing Cross to Gillingham filled with smoke after the collision near Northfleet last night.

The children's toy is thought to have been discarded on the tracks, causing sparks and smoke on impact.

A Southeastern spokesman said: "The incident happened after our train hit a scooter discarded on the tracks between Swanscombe and Northfleet.

"This hit the shoe braking gear of one of the train's coaches causing sparks and smoke.

"Passengers operated the emergency communications chord and the train driver alerted emergency services.

"The driver also requested an emergency isolation of the power on that part of the track before helping passengers to the platform.

"We would urge anyone who has any information about the object being placed on the track to please contact the British Transport Police."

Commuters described the moment their carriage filled with thick smoke following the crash.

Lauren Rule said she was struggling to breathe and customers were forced to pull the emergency cord and stop the train near Northfleet.

She wrote on Facebook: "We got to just outside Northfleet and the carriage filled with thick smoke and you could smell fire."

Passenger Keeley Richards was travelling with her family and also reported the carriage filling with smoke, leaving the children terrified.

She told KentOnline: "It all happened very quickly. We were mid way up the train, saw smoke outside, then sparks, and before we knew it smoke begin to fill the carriage."

Services returned to normal at about 8.30pm.