COMMUTERS faced severe delays after a fatality on the railway last night.

Passengers returning from London faced a four-hour journey.

A fatality on the line at Witham was followed by signalling problems at Stratford during peak-time travel.

A number of train services out of London Liverpool Street were cancelled or delayed.

Some commuters left London at 5.30pm but did not reach home until 9pm.

One annoyed commuter said: “I think there is a general feeling that patience is at breaking point.”

A spokesman for Greater Anglia said: “The lines closed around 17.40 and re-opened around 18.25.

“We worked to restore the normal service as quickly as possible. We did supplement the train service with a coach service.

“Delays did continue into the evening but we worked to restore the service as quickly as possible.”

British Transport Police said officers were called to the line close to the Motts Lane Crossing at Witham after a report that a man had been struck by a train.

"Officers from BTP and Essex Police attended the incident, which was reported at 5.41pm and is currently being treated as non-suspicious," said a spokesman.

"Medics from the Essex Ambulance Service also attended but the man who is believed to be 30 and from Witham, was pronounced dead at the scene.

"A file will be prepared for the Coroner.”

The train involved was a London Liverpool Street to Norwich service.

The line was handed back to Network Rail at 6.25pm.