People living in a south Norfolk village have been left shocked after a second death near a rail crossing in as many days.

A man died after being hit by a train near to the level crossing in Greenways, Newton Flotman, shortly after 10am yesterday.

On Wednesday, a man died in a similar incident at the same place, at around 8.15am,

Both incidents caused train services between Diss and Norwich to be suspended for two hours on the Norwich to London Liverpool Street line.

Neither death is being treated as suspicious by British Transport Police but it has left people living in Newton Flotman upset at the news of the two deaths in their village.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said he had noticed a lot of police activity earlier in the day and was shocked when he heard what had happened.

'It's very shocking and very sad,' he said.

'It's very sad for all concerned but we feel very sad for the train drivers. What a shock it must be for them, it must be awful.

'It's happened twice before on this stretch of line in recent years, further up towards Swainsthorpe.'

Another person living nearby, in Grove Way, who asked not to be named, also voiced her concern for train drivers who have to cope with the aftermath and psychological distress of such tragic incidents.

She said: 'I feel so sorry for the driver and all the people who were on the train.

'We know we have that crossing here and I still look both ways when I cross it even though there are lights and gates there.

'You can't help but feel sad for the family of the people who died.'

She added that the village was soon alive with the sound of sirens, saying: 'I hadn't thought it was the rail line, so I walked to the end of the road to see what was going on and could hear the ambulances streaking down the A140.

'My husband then came back and said 'there must have been eight police cars down there'.'

Another person involved in the tragic incident was former Norwich City player Paul McVeigh, who was travelling on the 8.24am train from London to Norwich which hit the man yesterday.

Mr McVeigh wrote about the incident on his Twitter page, saying: 'Bad news. Travelling on the train from London to Norwich and the train has hit a person at a crossing. Absolutely awful.'

Police are now trying to establish the identity of the man who was killed yesterday so that a file can be prepared for the coroner.

- If you need someone to talk to, call Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90.