AN INVESTIGATION has been launched after a man's body was found on rail tracks close to Horwich Parkway station.

Emergency services were called to the scene after it is believed a 16-year-old Horwich boy, boarding a Manchester bound train, spotted the man's body on the line.

British Transport Police scene of crime officers were called out and the track was closed off as officials began their investigation.

It is believed the man, who is yet to be identified, could have been struck by a train.

Today a BTP spokesman said: "We do not know who this man is or which train may have struck him.

"Our officers are down at the station this morning asking regular rail users about the incident to try to identify the man."

Services were severely disrupted following the incident, with trains being diverted via Euxton, near Chorley, into Wigan and then on to Manchester.

A Blackpool North to Manchester Airport service, which was stopped at the rail halt as the man's body was removed from the scene, was delayed for nearly an hour.

In total 95 trains were delayed for nearly 17 hours -- an average of 10 minutes delay on each service.

A spokesman for First North Western trains said: "It was quite a severe incident in terms of the inconvenience and disruption to services."

Officers from Astley Bridge police station also attended the scene after receiving an emergency call at 12.11pm yesterday but colleagues from British Transport Police were already dealing with the rail death.

The latest Bolton rail tragedy comes just days after a 48-year-old man was found, just yards from Bromley Cross station, after apparently being struck by a train.

And just two days later a 45-year-old man's leg was sliced off in a rail accident near Moses Gate station.