A MAN was killed after being electrocuted on the railway line in Christchurch on Monday night.

An investigation is underway into the death of the man who was killed after coming into contact with the electrified rail.

British Transport Police said the man was in his twenties and from the local area.

Dorset Police said they were called at 11.17pm to reports a man was behaving inappropriately near railway lines at Christchurch station.

A spokesman said: “Police attended and the man was seen to make off – a short time later the body of a man was found on the railway line.

“In accordance with protocol, the matter has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).”

Witnesses said they saw a man lying face down on the Pokesdown side of the rails under the Barrack Road railway bridge with police officers also on the track.

A British Transport Police (BTP) spokesman said: “BTP officers were called to Christchurch station in Dorset shortly after 11.30pm on Monday, September 17, after a report that a man had died after coming into contact with the electrified rail. The incident was also attended by Dorset Police officers.

“South Western Ambulance Service medics also attended but the man, believed to be in his twenties and from the local area, was pronounced dead at the scene.

“The man’s death is currently being treated as non-suspicious.

“Power to the line was switched off following the incident causing one train to be stranded between Pokesdown and Christchurch stations. All 16 passengers were safely detrained and taken to their onward destinations via alternative transport. The man was not struck by the train.”

A South West Trains spokesman said that the 22.58pm service from Wareham to Winchester was stranded outside Christchurch station. Passengers were led down from the train and put in taxis to their destinations.

Anyone with any information which they believe can assist is asked to contact British Transport Police on Freefone 0800 40 50 40, quoting incident reference 556 of 17/09/2012.

SHOCKED residents have described seeing the man’s body on the railway lines following the incident on Monday.

Simon Miller, 46, a builder from Christchurch, said his 16-year-old son Bradley and Bradley’s 17-year-old girlfriend saw the incident.

Mr Miller said: “They were walking home from the cinema. They had been to watch a film.
“Bradley phoned me and I picked them. They were just crying – they were in a hell of a state.”

Adam Wilson, 24, pictured,  was leaving work at the Bailey Bridge pub around 11.30am, when he saw police on the bridge.

He said: “There must have been about three of them down there. "

Christchurch resident Tim McClellan, whose daughter Katrina was travelling home from London was delayed at Brockenhurst as a result of the incident.

“She phoned me and said transport was being arranged. I thought they might bring her back to Christchurch so went to the station around 1am.

“As I went over the bridge at Barrack Road, there was a police van on the right and a car and officers standing by the bridge and a whole lot of police cars going in and out of the station car park.

“I spoke to an officer and they said they someone had gone under a train somewhere on the line.”