A 51-year-old woman who died at Wimbledon Station yesterday morning after being hit by a fast train was from Wimbledon police have confirmed.

The woman has yet to be named but her next of kin have been informed.

British Transport Police sealed off part of the station shortly before 9am to allow the body to be recovered.

The incident comes just weeks after safety barriers were installed at the station on platforms next to routes used by fast trains, following a series of deaths.

Samaritans were at the station this morning handing out leaflets and security guards with high visibility jackets were also there.

Passengers travelling by train through Wimbledon Station faced delays of up to an hour throughout much of the day and there was also disruption on the road outside.

A South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance (SWTNRA) spokesman, apologising to passengers for the disruption to their journeys, said: "Once the line re-opened, it was unfortunately necessary to significantly reduce the number of trains through the station.

"Our busy rail network into London Waterloo is dependent on using the lines through Wimbledon and the closure of the line, coupled with trains, guards and drivers being out of position, has resulted in disruption for the majority of the day."

SWTNRA refused to comment on whether further security measures might now be introduced, but said it was working closely with the Samaritans.

A spokesman for the Samaritans said: "Each suicide is a tragedy. Our thoughts go out to everyone who has been affected by the recent deaths in the area.

"Suicide is a complex issue, seldom the result of a single factor and is likely to have several inter-related causes.

"We know that sometimes people get to a point where they feel they can’t cope, where it all gets too much to handle and that the future holds nothing good for them.

"As part of our work with the rail industry to reduce suicide, our local branch will be offering support to commuters, staff and members of the public over the coming weeks.

"We want to remind anyone struggling to cope that Samaritans is available round the clock, every single day of the year by phone on 08457 909090 or email jo@samaritans.org."