Confusion today surrounded events that led to trains between Hereford and Worcester being delayed and cancelled.

There were reports that someone had been hit by a train at Malvern.

And a notice on the ticket machine at Foregate Street station read: "Due to a fatality, trains will be delayed or cancelled at short notice."

Emergency services vehicles near the Hereford-Worcester railway line today 

But a man who lives close to the Jamaica Road level crossing at Malvern said there had been a near miss, rather than a death.

Terence Stimson said: "The crossing is 10 metres from my back garden. 

"[The man] got out the way just in time. He walked away before the train driver could find him, and that’s the reason why he was presumed maybe to be under the train or in the bushes.

A notice placed in Foregate Street station, Worcester, today

"The police helicopter was used to confirm that he was not in the bushes or injured nearby.

"No one was killed."

One passenger, who did not want to be named, said: "I sat on the train from Hereford to Birmingham New Street for two hours.

"The announcement said, Due to a fatality on the lines we have canceled the service and the next train to Worcester for Foregate Street will take you to Birmingham New Street.

"It took me five hours to do a two-hour journey."

Jon Riedl, who was also on the train, said: "We planned a family trip to Birmingham from Great Malvern when we were told there was congestion.

"We were told to get off the train as it was cancelled again due to a fatality."

Gayle Price's home is just a few metres away from where the train stopped, and she saw what happened.

She said: "The train stopped for several minutes. The air ambulance arrived as did several other land crews.

"About 40 minutes later police dogs started searching. After finding nothing they left, as did the paramedics. The police left soon after.

"The train went forward some minutes later and soon after trains went from the other track. Eventually trains ran both ways."

A spokesman for British Transport Police said: "The report was made just before 11am on Saturday, September 21.

"Initially, it was thought a person had been struck by a train. Fortunately, it turned out this was not the case and it was a near miss with a pedestrian.

"The incident happened on the Jamaica Road level crossing in Malvern. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has been notified."