Trains halted after rail worker dies on line

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.”