A young woman was struck and killed by an express train at a south west London station after straying onto the tracks to retrieve her dropped phone, police believe.

Investigators described the 23-year-old as being the victim of a “tragic accident” following the incident at Wimbledon railway station at around 7.30pm on Sunday evening.

The woman, believed to be from Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, was hit by the 7.15pm Waterloo to Exeter service after jumping onto the tracks to pick-up her handset, British Transport Police said.

“Officers were called to Wimbledon railway station on Sunday January 8th after a woman was struck by a train,” a force spokeswoman said.

“London Ambulance Service paramedics also attended but the woman, believed to be a 23-year-old from Walton-on Thames, was pronounced dead at the scene. Her death is being treated as non-suspicious.”

Chief Inspector Alison Evans added: “We believed at this stage that the woman went on to the tracks to retrieve her mobile phone before being struck by the train.

“This appears to have been a tragic accident and our thoughts remain with the woman’s family at this very difficult and sad time for them.”

Police investigators are preparing a report for the coroner, the BTP spokeswoman added

AOL