Tragically, a person has been found dead on the railway tracks near Formby station

Formby Bubble
Aug 24
2 min read

This morning, Sunday 24th August, emergency services were called to the railway line in Formby after reports of a casualty on the tracks. The call came in at around 11.25am and British Transport Police officers, along with paramedics, quickly attended the scene.

Despite their efforts, the person was sadly pronounced dead at the location. Officers have confirmed that the incident is not being treated as suspicious and that a file will now be prepared for the coroner.

The news has brought great sadness to the community, with many people shocked by the events that unfolded in such a busy part of the rail network.

Train services on the Southport line were brought to a halt as the emergency services worked at the scene, with Merseyrail announcing significant disruption almost immediately. Services between Southport and Hall Road were suspended for several hours while replacement buses were put in place to help passengers continue their journeys. Ticket acceptance was also agreed with Arriva and Stagecoach bus routes to ease the disruption for those affected.

In updates shared throughout the day, Merseyrail explained that only a very limited rail service could operate between Hall Road and Liverpool while the line remained closed north of Hall Road. National Rail confirmed the same, stating that trains running between Southport and Hall Road would be cancelled and that some services might also be cancelled in full between Southport and Liverpool Central. Passengers were advised that disruption was expected to continue until around 3pm.

As the afternoon progressed, Merseyrail issued a further update to say that services were beginning to resume on the Southport line following the earlier incident between Formby and Hightown. They did, however, warn that some trains may continue to be delayed or cancelled until a normal timetable was fully restored.

The incident has had a major impact on passengers travelling through the area, with delays and cancellations causing widespread disruption to weekend plans, but the focus remains on the tragic loss of life that occurred on the tracks. British Transport Police have emphasised that while their investigation into the circumstances continues, there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.

The thoughts of the entire community are very much with the person’s family and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time, and the sad events of today serve as a stark reminder of the importance of the work carried out every day by emergency services and transport staff in dealing with such situations.

Merseyrail have just updated their feed at 3:50pm -