Passengers were left concerned after a train door opened despite the carriage not reaching the platform.

An investigation has been launched after the train doors wrongly opened on a commuter train for the second time in a month.

The incident happened on the 5.10pm Greater Anglia service from Southend to Liverpool Street on Monday.

The train stopped short of the platform at Hockley station but the doors to the carriage still opened, leaving passengers facing an estimated five-foot drop to the tracks.

The Rail Accident Investigations Branch (RAIB) said it was aware of the incident and making “initial inquiries”.

Witnesses described passengers having to jump down onto the ground and walk along the track to the platform.

One man, who has asked not to be named, said: “I think the train had stopped at the wrong marker for a 12-carriage train.

“People had tried to walk down to a different carriage but there was a solid door so they couldn’t get through.

“Nobody could get off and then the doors closed and it started heading to the next station.”

This is the second time an incident of this nature has happened on a Greater Anglia service in the space of a month.

Earlier this month, the Echo reported how a door on a train travelling between Southend and Liverpool Street was open for 23 minutes while the train was travelling at 80mph.

A passenger reported the incident to the driver at Hockley station at about 7.20am on the morning of August 22.

The RAIB has concluded its investigation into this first incident and a full report will be published at a later date.

As a result of this first incident, Greater Anglia immediately took the train out of service and conducted checks on every single door on that type of train.

No one was injured as a result of either incident and they are not connected.

A Greater Anglia spokesman said the firm is investigating and added: “Safety is our top priority and we take such incidents extremely seriously.

“There will be a full investigation to find out what happened and ensure that all steps are taken to prevent it recurring.

“We can confirm that the train concerned was stationary at the station for the whole period of the incident. We apologise to any customers who were affected.”