A man survived being run over by a train after being seen walking along and then lying down on the tracks.

Shaken witnesses watched the 42- year-old local man, who they believed was drunk, stepping onto the tracks at London Road station in Brighton on Tuesday at 7.11pm.

He was airlifted to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, by the air ambulance, which landed in Preston Park.

Last night the man was being treated for serious head and leg injuries but was in a stable condition. A British Transport Police (BTP) spokesman said: “BTP officers were called to London Road railway station, Brighton, on Tuesday, after a report that a man had been struck by a train.

“Officers from BTP and Sussex Police attended and found a 42-year-old local man had been hit by a train and sus- tained serious injuries.

“Crews from South East Coast Ambulance Service and East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service also attended and the man was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, where he is still being treated for injuries to his head and legs.

“The incident was first reported to BTP at 7.17pm and is currently being treated as non-suspicious.

“The man’s family have been informed.”

Student Flo Murray witnessed the entire incident.

She said: “As we were walking through the tunnel under the station we saw a drunk man in a brown duffel coat.

“When we got to the platform he stepped off the platform and started walking up the tracks.

“My boyfriend ran along the platform after him and shouted at him but he seemed intent on what he was doing.

“The train came in braking and honk- ing its horn.

“The man hesitated for a moment before lying down and the train just rolled straight over him.”

The line was closed for an hour, with trains brought to a standstill while emergency services tried to rescue the man from under the train.

Delayed Chaos on the network continued throughout the evening as power was turned off on the tracks between Portslade, Preston Park and Lewes in the east for an hour-and-a-half, affecting all lines into Brighton.

Southern said that trains were delayed for up to 70 minutes and passenger tickets were accepted on buses where possible.