A 75-year-old man had died after being struck by a train near Melton railway station.

Emergency services were called to a section of railway line near Burton Street at 7.40pm yesterday.

A British Transport Police spokeswoman said: "We were called to Melton Mowbray Railway Station following a report that a person was struck by a train.

"Officers attended, alongside paramedics, but sadly the person was pronounced dead at the scene.

"It was a 75-year-old man, and his next of kin have been informed."

She added: "The incident is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner."

A CrossCountry Trains service travelling from Stansted Airport to Birmingham New Street station was halted at 7.40pm, with eyewitnesses reporting seeing seven police cars and threre ambulances outside Melton railway station, in Burton Street.

The line was closed between Oakham and Melton during the incident.

A spokesman for CrossCountry Trains said: "At 7.40pm last night our train from Stansted Airport to Birmingham New Street was halted just outside Melton Mowbray station following an incident on the line.

"The train was held there for approximately two hours while the emergency services attended the scene, and alternative road transport was provided so people could continue their journeys."

He added: "The incident resulted in a small number of trains being cancelled, and anyone delayed by more than 30 minutes should contact us as they would be entitled to compensation.”