PASSENGERS tried to save a man who suffered a cardiac arrest on a busy train.

Witnesses have described the moment passengers rushed to the aid of a man in his 50s on board a Barrow-bound train on Saturday evening.

Police and paramedics were called to Silverdale station shortly before 9.30pm.

A man in his fifties was taken to hospital, however he died on Sunday morning.

One passenger who was in the carriage said the man had been eating a kebab in the moments before the incident.

“When we were at Silverdale, people started running down the train,” she said. “A man was lying on the floor of the train, he was shaking.

“People around him thought he was having a fit. They were trying to put him back in his seat.

“Then people started shouting that he wasn’t breathing. Somebody started doing CPR in an attempt to get him breathing again. It was around 45 minutes before an ambulance arrived to help him.

“Then the emergency services evacuated the carriage and put the man into an ambulance.”

Another passenger described how the train conductor called for anyone who could offer medical assistance to come to the carriage where the man was being treated.

He said that later everyone was told the train would not be continuing to Barrow and alternative transport would be found.

Another train arrived and took passengers back to Carnforth before switching tracks and travelling back to Barrow.

The incident happened on the 8.45pm Northern service travelling between Preston and Barrow.

Detectives from British Transport Police have confirmed an investigation has been launched in to the incident.

DCI Steve May from British Transport Police said: “This is an incredibly distressing and tragic incident for the man’s family and we are providing them with support while they come to terms with this news.

“We are now working tirelessly to understand exactly what happened in the moments leading up to this man having a cardiac arrest. Two people have been arrested in connection, and our investigation continues in earnest.

“Today, I am urging anyone who was on board the train and saw what happened, to contact BTP as soon as possible. You might hold information which could prove vital to our investigation.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact BTP by sending a text to 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 678 of 02/03/2019.

lA 22-year-old woman from Flookburgh and a 32-year-old man from Grange were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.