Police and fire crews were called to Pitsea rail station after a man's body was discovered on a platform.

However, the man's identity still remained a mystery on Monday.

British Transport Police are investigating the gruesome discovery. The man's body was found on platform three early on Sunday morning.

Essex Police and firefighters were called to the station at around 6.40am to cordon off the scene until experts arrived.

Southend-bound train drivers were ordered not stop at the station throughout the morning while police continued their investigations in a bid to find out who the mystery man was and how he died.

Passengers for Pitsea station were forced to stay on until Benfleet.

They were then able to get a London-bound train back.

Trains travelling into the capital were ordered to wait for the passengers at Benfleet station.

The man, who has been described by police as white and middle-aged, had no identification on him.

Police were today still desperately trying to find out who he was in order to contact his family with the tragic news.

Insp Philip Trendall of British Transport Police said: "Police are following all the usual avenues of inquiry to try to identify the body.

"We have no missing persons listed who fit this man's description.

"We feel every sympathy for the family who are waiting for that call."

Insp Trendall added: "Once the man has been identified we will be carrying out investigations into his death.

"There are no obvious injuries which are consistent with being struck by a train.

"A medical officer did attend at the scene but he could not give a definite cause of death.

"We will be carrying out a post mortem but at the moment we are not treating the death as suspicious."

A spokeswoman for LTS confirmed rail passengers travelling to Pitsea from London faced delays of about ten minutes on Sunday morning.

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