TWO men have died in separate incidents on railway tracks in Kent, it emerged today.

Train services were severely disrupted after a man sat in front of an oncoming commuter train between Rochester and Gravesend. He died instantly when he was struck by the 5.29pm Higham to Cannon Street train last night.

The driver told emergency teams that he saw the man sitting on the track as he approached Hoo Junction.

It is believed the man, who lived in Gravesend, drove to the junction in his Ford Mondeo before placing himself on the line.

British Transport Police arrived shortly after the incident and began searching the scene with the help of Medway fire crews who provided specialist lighting equipment.

British Transport Police duty inspector Gary Young said: "The driver saw the man sitting on the line and was unable to stop the train. Trains were delayed for a while and services were not running again until 8.25pm."

Sub officer Alan Monk from Strood Fire Station said: "We were called in by the police so that we could help light up the area to assist them with their investigations. We erected our specialist lighting equipment after the power from the track had been isolated and were there for about two hours."

There were at least 50 passengers on the train at the time of the tragedy.

Another man died when he was hit by a train near Beckenham Hill railway station shortly before 10.45pm last night. British Transport Police believe the man to be 30 years old and from Beckenham.

A police spokesman said: “As the train approached Beckenham Hill, travelling at about 40mph, the driver became aware of a figure laying across the track. Nobody else was near him. The train struck the person before it was able to stop.”

Officers were not treating the death as suspicious, he added.

The train involved was the 10.04pm Sevenoaks to Blackfriars service. An inquest is due to open next week.