A CRANBROOK man died when he was struck by a train passing through a tunnel in East Sussex (writes Nigel Jarrett).

The incident happened at about 11am on Saturday. It caused major disruption to train services between Hastings and London.

Emergency services were alerted when the driver of a London-bound train radioed ahead after seeing a body on the line. Power was switched off as paramedics went into Mountfield Tunnel, near Robertsbridge.

Train services were suspended for about three hours while the body was recovered.

British Transport police later said the victim was from Cranbrook and that his death was not being treated as suspicious. The man's identity was not being released until relatives had been informed.

The train driver, who suffered from shock, is understood to have been offered counselling by his trade union.