Moment a vandal cheated death on live railway track

Images released today show how three youths threw a bin and then a metal wheelchair ramp onto a 750-volt live rail.

One of the vandals nearly electrocuted himself after causing an explosion on the track at Addlestone railway station.

At about 1.15am one of the youths threw the metal bin on the track. The group returned to the deserted station in Surrey at 2am, when one of the gang climbed down to put the metal ramp on the live rail.

The ramp was eventually melted by the current passing through it.

The footage released by British Transport Police shows sparks coming from the tracks as he runs away.

BTP schools liaison officer Graham Cottington, who warns school pupils of the dangers of trespassing and obstructing the tracks, said he was horrified when he watched the CCTV footage.

"This shows clearly the lengths that youths will go to to prove themselves and show off in front of their friends," he said.

"The youth, clearly not content with throwing things onto the track, then risked his life by placing the ramp directly on the third rail. The footage shows the youth engulfed in a shower of sparks. It's extraordinary that he was not killed or injured. Even though trains were not running through the station, the electricity current on the railway is live 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

Mr Cottington said the case was a stark reminder about the dangerous activities young people become involved in.

He revealed today that during this school holiday period, transport police in the South received daily reports of young people involved in offences on live tracks.

He said: "Some of those reports included children running in front of trains playing chicken, and objects used to obstruct and damage trains and trams such as wheels, metal poles, traffic cones and pieces of concrete.

"Not only are people risking their lives they are committing a criminal offence, and obstructing trains or endangering the safety of people on the railway carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment."

Anyone who can identify the vandals is asked to contact transport police on 0800 40 50 40.