A woman died when she was hit by a train in Stroud station last night.

Passengers on the London-Cheltenham service felt the bump as the train hit the woman at about 8.30pm.

The train was stopped and the line closed for about two hours as British Transport police investigated the scene and recovered the woman's body.

Passengers were eventually taken on to Cheltenham station by coach.

One of the passengers, hairdresser Mark Blake, a partner in Blushes, which has salons in Gloucester, Cheltenham and Cirencester, said "We were just coasting into Stroud station when it happened.

"We clearly felt the bump and the poor woman ended up under the rear carriage, where I was sitting.

"It was all very upsetting but I have to say the railway staff handled everything very well and kept us informed at all stages.

"We could see the woman's red handbag close to our carriage. Apparently it had her passport in it."

He said he was delayed for no more than an hour or so and was then able to get to his car, which was parked at Stroud station, and drive home. It may have been a longer journey, though, for those who had to wait for a coach to take them to Cheltenham.

Mr Blake said it was not the first time he had suffered such an experience - a similar thing happened to him when he was on the same train service at Slough a few months ago.