Eurostar trains were brought to a standstill on Tuesday by a man who had just been released from prison – found asleep on the tracks.

Mark Simmons, 33, was trying to walk from Maidstone to Folkestone when he took a nap just feet from the live rails.

He caused misery to hundreds of passengers by delaying three trains – costing Eurostar £24,800 – while rail workers searched for him.

Yesterday, Maidstone magistrates sent homeless Simmons back to jail for two months after he admitted trespassing.

Shaven-headed Simmons said he was looking for somewhere to stay because he had been sleeping rough after being released from prison six days earlier.

He began walking down the motorway towards Folkstone until police officers told him to move on.

So he chose a "misguided" alternative route – climbing the fence at the Channel Tunnel rail link bridge in Lenham.

Railway workers spent 50 minutes searching for Simmons after British Transport Police received reports of a man on the tracks at 11.30am.

Marian Boyd, prosecuting, said: "Simmons was found sleeping 1.5m from the live rails. The approved safety distance for workers is 2.75m.

"He put not only his own safety but the safety of those searching for him and those on board the train at risk."

Catherine Bond, defending, said: "This is a sad story. Mr Simmons was released from HPM Lincoln on May 22 but didn’t have anywhere to go.

"He spent a couple of nights sleeping under a bridge. He had been to Folkestone before so he thought it would be a good place to go.

"Mr Simmons started walking there, but was stopped on the motorway by the police who told him to move on.

"So he made the misguided decision to walk along the railway line because he used to do that as a teenager. He had no idea it would get him in any trouble.

"He sincerely regrets his actions and will not do it again."

Jailing him for 60 days, magistrate Tom Stevens told Simmons: "Your actions caused potential danger to others and caused severe disruption. We feel there is no other way to deal with you than send you to prison."