A man was rescued last night after falling in front of a London Underground train at Bethnal Green.

The 25-year-old was badly injured and was taken to hospital with severe head injuries after falling from the Central Line westbound platform in front of a train coming into the station.

An emergency rescue crew from nearby Bethnal Green fire-station arrived within a minute of the alarm being raised at 9.22pm to reach the injured man trapped on the tracks.

Two ambulance crews including the London air-ambulance team from Whitechapel and a and responder car also arrived.

Underground staff immediately diverted the electric current from the track as the rescue got under way.

The injured man was treated on the platform before being taken to the Royal London Hospital at Whitechapel, where he was detained.

Passengers on the following train were stuck for half-an-hour in the westbound tunnel approaching the station during the rescue operation. Other trains were switched to the eastbound track and passed through the station without stopping, before the normal Central Line service was resumed at 10pm.

Police investigating the incident are examining CCTV footage from the platform to find out how it happened.