Passenger’s horror as Rustington man killed by train

The tragedy unfurled on Friday afternoon (May 8), on the railway line near Brook Lane, in Rustington.

A 49-year-old man from the village was struck by the train at about 12.50pm and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Jack Moorey, of Columbine Way, Rustington, was on board at the time of the incident and heard the driver’s desperate screams of terror.

The 16-year-old said: “I heard a massive thud which then was followed with a shout from the driver’s area.

“Straight away I knew what had happened as the train was brought to a halt.

“There were lots of confused faces because further on down the train you wouldn’t have heard the driver and wouldn’t have felt the thud as much as I did.”

He said that five minutes later passengers were informed by the conductor, over the train’s Tannoy system, that there had been a fatality.

Jack added: “Lots of people then were very shocked and stunned by the news and instantly people were ringing friends and family I assume to let them know.”

He added: “We were stuck on the train for around an hour and a half and only the windows were opened for us for fresh air. Lots of ambulances and police soon turned up to the scene and were in conversation with the driver, and other train staff and I noticed that straight away the paramedics asked if the driver was okay which I thought was a nice touch.”

It is unclear how the deadly incident took place.

However, a spokesman from the British Transport Police said the fatality ‘was not being treated as suspicious’.

The man’s family have been informed, but his name has not yet been formerly released.

The service resumed at about 2pm and headed towards Angmering Railway Station.

Transport police added that a file was being prepared for the coroner.