A Timetable shake-up has given new meaning to the term "rush hour" for a group of rail passengers.

Commuters on the 7.24am shuttle from Hove to Brighton have as little as 30 seconds to make their onward connection east - at a platform more than 100 metres away.

The early-morning dash has become a daily feature of life after rail operator Southern brought forward the departure time of the 7.35am service to Seaford via Falmer, Lewes and Newhaven to 7.30am.

Passengers had previously enjoyed a leisurely five-minute stroll from platform one to pick up the connection at platform seven.

But Southern introduced the change in its summer timetable after complaints about missed connections down the line in Lewes. Now, depending on delays, the train from Hove rolls in with between two minutes and 30 seconds to spare.

Miss the Seaford train and the next does not depart for another 42 minutes.

One fed-up traveller has reported the rail company to the Health and Safety Executive.

He fears someone may be hurt or killed in the station sprint.

Travel agent Richard Powell, who commutes daily from Portslade to Lewes, said: "I keep fit by running for trains but I should not have to.

"It was fine before the timetable change but this is silly.

"Everyone who previously had to change trains at Brighton is angry about it."

Phil Osbourne, 49, a civil engineer said: "I am totally unfit and I refuse to run across the platforms each day.

"I try to make the connection but it is about 50-50 whether I do."

Mark Senior, 56, who commutes from Worthing to Newhaven, said: "Up to a dozen of us make the dash each day. It is dangerous.

"You only have to have a slight delay coming into Brighton and then it is touch and go.

"I have been ticked off for trying to get on a train once platform staff have signalled its departure.

"Sometimes the Seaford train is at the top end of platform seven or even eight - then it really is a race against time.

"Everything was fine before the new timetable was introduced but now the train waits for ten minutes at Lewes, which is very frustrating.

"I have written to the Health and Safety Executive warning them about the danger.

"If I miss the Seaford train I am late for work."

Southern spokesman Marsid Greenidge said: "We introduced the earlier departure because we had complaints that people wanting to travel on to Eastbourne were missing their connections at Lewes.

"It is a question of robbing Peter to pay Paul. We will look at the two-minute gap and see what we can do in the next timetable changes.

"We apologise for any inconvenience.

"If customers say they are being kept fit running between platforms, then at least we are providing one service."