A man died yesterday evening after being struck by a train as it went through Dilton Marsh station.

He was hit by the 22.23pm Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central train just after 10pm.

Emergency services were called to the scene and the man was kept alive for about an hour. The Wiltshire Air Ambulance was scrambled but the man died before he could be airlifted.

Passengers on the train had to use taxis to continue their journey as the line was blocked for several hours.

A British Transport Police (BTP) spokesman said: "BTP officers attended the line near to Dilton Marsh railway station in Wiltshire, on Monday, October 18, following a report of a man being struck by a train. The incident was reported to police at 10.15pm.

“Officers from BTP, Wiltshire Police and the Great Western Ambulance Service attended and discovered a man with serious head and leg injuries consistent with being hit by a train.

“Paramedics treated the man for his injuries at the scene but he was pronounced dead at 11.23pm. The man’s death is currently being treated as non-suspicious. Enquiries are continuing to establish the man’s identity and the circumstances leading up to his death. A file will be prepared for the coroner.”

A spokesperson for Great Western Ambulance Service said: “We had a report that a male had been struck by a train in the Dilton Marsh area. When the 999 call came in the man was reported to still be alive.

“A doctor and the Wiltshire Air Ambulance also attended but unfortunately the nature of the male’s injury meant that they were unable to save him."

A First Great Western spokesperson said: “We’ve made sure the driver involved has been offered counselling. It wasn’t possible to stop the train at such short notice. The passengers involved were delayed for about an hour.

"Passengers got off at Westbury and we made sure we got them where they needed to go by either train or bus. There were minimal delays to other services so not many passengers were inconvenienced."