Rail disruption as person dies after being hit by train at Chester-le-Street

A person has died after being hit by a train near Chester-le-Street railway station.

Railway lines were closed between Newcastle and Darlington after the incident, which was reported shortly after 11.30am on Friday morning. The British Transport Police have confirmed that the incident is not being treated as suspicious.

A statement from the British Transport Police read: "Officers were called to Chester le Street railway station at around 11.31am today (July 5) following reports of a casualty on the tracks.

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"Paramedics also attended, however sadly a person was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner."

A statement from Network Rail read: "We’re assisting the emergency services while they deal with an ongoing incident on the railway at Chester-le-Street. People are advised to check with their train operator or National Rail Enquiries for the latest travel information to see how their journey is being affected."

LNER said in a post on X, formerly Twitter: "It is with great sadness that we report that a person has been hit by a train between Darlington and Newcastle. Services running between these stations are subject to cancellations and delays".