Trains halted after rail worker dies on line

A RAILWAY line was closed by the British Transport Police after a maintenance worker collapsed and died at the track-side.

The Network Rail employee was walking to work along tracks near to Swinton train station when he collapsed shortly after 9am on Monday .

Police and paramedics were called after witnesses spotted the man laying by the tracks, but efforts to resuscitate him were in vain and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokesman for the British Transport Police confirmed: “British Transport Police officers were called to the line close to Swinton Railway Station at 9.04am, after receiving reports that a man had collapsed on the track.

“Officers attended and discovered a member of rail staff had sadly collapsed and died.”

He added: “There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.”

The line between Swinton and Sheffield remained closed until shortly after 10.20am.

A spokeswoman for Network Rail declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding the maintenance employee’s death but said: “This was a tragedy. Our thoughts are with his family.”