The police watchdog are assessing the circumstances surrounding the death of a man who was hit by a train while fleeing officers in Willesden Green yesterday.

The man, believed to be in his 20s, ran on to railway lines after he broke free from two officers who believed he was in possession of drugs when they stopped him in Christchurch Avenue at 4.25pm.

Both officers gave chase and he was pursued and observed from a distance for around 40 minutes by a police helicopter and search dogs.

During that time he ran into gardens, climb over fences and went onto railway lines where he was hit by a train near Dartmouth Road at 5.12pm.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokeswoman for the Independent Police Complaints Commission told the Times they sent officers to the scene yesterday to begin an assessment.

She added: “The assessment is ongoing to determine the level of IPCC involvement needed in an investigation.”

A post-mortem examination will be arranged in due course.