A track worker in his mid 20s is critically ill in hospital after being hit by a train in a horrific accident at Leatherhead station last Wednesday.

He suffered serious head, chest, arm and leg injuries and lost lots of blood after being dragged almost 100 metres down the track.

The accident happened when he was struck by the 09.09 Waterloo to Guildford train as it approached Leatherhead at about 10am.

He narrowly missed being struck by a second train which managed to pull up before ploughing into him.

The Network Rail worker, who was on a routine track patrol, was treated at the scene for almost an hour before being airlifted by the Surrey Air Ambulance to the Royal London Hospital at Whitechapel.

The South East Coast Ambulance Service responded to the incident by sending two ambulance crews and an officer to the scene.

Acting locality support officer Ricky Powell said: "This incident occurred in a hot and confined space between two trains, with the extra challenges of working directly on the railway lines. Our staff did fantastically given the very difficult circumstances they were working in.

"This incident was made much easier by the great team work and co-operation shown by our staff, the air ambulance crew and the fire and police services."

Firecrews from Epsom were called to help in the rescue to allow paramedics and emergency doctors to tend the man.

The air ambulance arrived in ten minutes from its base at Dunsfold where the crew gave the man intensive care at the scene.

It was one of the most serious incidents that the Air Ambulance has attended since it was launched at the new base in June.

Zane Perkins, a specialist doctor with the Air Ambulance, said: "This was probably the most demanding challenge we have faced because he had multiple critical injuries."

A replacement bus service was laid on between Epsom and Dorking and Waterloo to Guildford trains were diverted. Normal train services were resumed in the early afternoon.

British Transport Police were called but handed over the inquiry to Department of Transport specialist rail accident investigators.

"This is being treated as a workplace accident," said a spokesman for the transport police.