Armed police storm train

At around 8.30am today (Tuesday) the London-bound train was brought to a halt near Berwick while an armed response unit was scrambled.

A spokesman for Southern, which operates the train service, said the officers did not find any firearms and the train was on the move again soon after 9.10am.

A Sussex Police spokesman said:'Sussex Police were called after a member of rail staff made a well intentioned report of a man he thought was carrying a gun at Polegate railway station.

'A train with four carriages was stopped for about 25 minutes at Berwick and firearms officers boarded to search for the man. They did not find a man fitting the description.

'Police have viewed CCTV and there does not appear to be anything suspicious.

Staff have since said it could be a buckle belt.'

The incident caused some delays and alterations to trains in the area but services are now returning to normal.