'Good Samaritan' killed while trying to rescue woman who fell onto tracks on London commuter line

An elderly 'Good Samaritan' died after jumping onto train tracks by a village station on a London commuter line.

Passengers at Chartham looked on in horror as a woman in her 30s apparently fell from a bridge over the line in Kent this morning.

The heroic man - who was in his 70s - then reportedly followed the woman onto the tracks to pull her to safety before an oncoming London-bound train arrived at the station.

But his efforts were in vain and the man died after he was struck by the oncoming train, which sounded its horn but could not stop in time to prevent the tragedy.

Police said the woman had since been taken to hospital after the tragedy at around 10.55am.

A British Transport Police spokesman said: "Shortly before 10.55am on Tuesday, 16 June, our officers were called to the line near to Chartham rail station following reports of a person having been struck by a train.

“BTP officers attended, alongside colleagues from Kent Police and South East Coast Ambulance Service, and discovered two people – a man in his 70s and a woman in her 30s – had been struck by a train.

“Sadly the man died as a result of his injuries. The woman was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital, where she remains in a serious but stable condition.

“Both families have been informed.

“The incident is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner.”