A Sussex-bound train carrying 300 passengers may have been derailed because of a track fault, investigators say.

All on board escaped injury when the last two carriages of the 7.40pm Charing Cross to Hastings train came off the rails on Monday.

The eight-coach train had just started its journey towards Hastings and was travelling at 15mph.

The passengers were able to leave the train via the platform.

Railtrack southern director Michael Holden said: "Although this was a slow-speed derailment, we are treating it seriously and conducting a full and thorough investigation.

"Early indications point to the most likely cause being a track fault and much of our investigation will be to help us learn what led to the defect and how we can avoid it happening in future.

"We would like to apologise to all those Connex passengers involved in the incident and the subsequent delays."

The derailment caused huge hold-ups to train services in East Sussex and Kent on Monday night and into yesterday.

Platforms five and six at Charing Cross were closed while trains to and from Hastings were diverted to Cannon Street.