SIX passengers were led to safety after a train was derailed by a tree which had fallen across a track early today.

The incident happened at 5.40am as the Gillingham to Redhill service was travelling through a cutting between Edenbridge, near Tonbridge, and Godstone. No one was hurt.

Southeastern Trains spokesman Nigel Jarrett said the incident happened near Caterfield Lane when the front wheels of the three-carriage train left the track. The train rode along on the rail sleepers for 200 yards before stopping.

He added: “It stayed upright. There was the driver, a conductor and six passengers on board.

“The current was switched off and passengers were led back to Caterfield Lane where taxis took them to Redhill.”

The line remained closed while engineers and contractors from Network Rail, which owns the track, cleared the tree from the rails and assessed the damaged.

Meanwhile, a shuttle service has replaced trains between Tonbridge and Redhill. Southeastern trains was running a service between Tonbridge and Edenbridge and then buses from Edenbridge to Redhill.

The company is also running a fast bus service between Tonbridge and Redhill which only calls at Edenbridge.

In another incident on the railways, dozen of commuters were delayed after a tree fell on the track at Barming, near Maidstone, this morning.

The tree fell on the track just after 6am, delaying the 5.37 service to Ashford from Victoria.

Crews worked to lift the tree off and clear the track of debris, with the line re-opening at about 7.30am, although several subsequent trains were delayed as a result.

A spokeswoman from Southeastern trains said high winds and rain overnight had caused a number of trees and some debris to fall onto tracks across the county.

Other delays in Kent included lines blocked at Canterbury East and Canterbury West due to fallen trees.

The severe winds also led to the Sheppey Crossing being closed but the Kingsferry Bridge over the Swale remained open.