A MAN whose headless body was discovered on a railway line yesterday is thought to have been struck by a train only days after a similar death in the region.

Emergency services were called to a stretch of the East Coast main line near the railway station in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, just after 6am.

They discovered the decapitated body of a man, in his early 20s, which investigators believe had lain there for several hours before being found.

It came only a week after a man was killed when he was hit by an express train in front of shocked passengers at Durham railway station.

British Transport Police, who are leading the inquiry, said the man was thought to be from the Northallerton area, but his identity was not being released because of problems tracking down his next of kin.

The victim's parents are understood to be abroad and were not aware of the tragedy last night, a spokesman said.

The driver of a train which was travelling north towards Darlington reported seeing the body lying on the line.

A British Transport Police spokesman said: "It appeared as though he had been there for some time.

"His injuries were consistent with having been struck by a train, and if this occurred during the hours of darkness it is quite possible that the driver may not have even seen the person.

"It is still being dealt with as a mystery, and we can't explain whether it is a suicide or anything else at the moment."

A North Yorkshire ambulance spokesman said: "We were given the news by Railtrack control.

"This incident happened just north of the northbound platform."

Joseph Leonard Thackery, 54, died instantly on Tuesday, March 19, when he jumped in front of a 60mph GNER train travelling through Durham station.

People waiting on a platform were treated for shock after witnessing the incident.