Caught on camera: Man just milliseconds from death as he leaps out of path of speeding train

By Matt Sandy

A split second from oblivion, he saunters across a level crossing, seemingly oblivious to the train thundering towards him.

After suddenly realising his fate, he manages to leap clear of the 75mph express , but only after it catches his trailing foot, sending his trainer spinning into the air.

This astonishing CCTV footage, taken in Rainham, East London, shows an unnamed 19-year-old ignoring warning lights and climbing a barrier to follow a friend who had crossed the track ahead of him.

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Leaping for his life: The train misses the man by millimetres as he jumps out of its path, in Rainham, Kent

Close shave: The man's shoe lies on the track after being knocked off by the train

The chilling images show just how close to a horrifying death he came.

The man, from Romford, was later arrested and cautioned for obstructing a train on the railway.

The footage was just one of the hair-raising clips released by Network Rail yesterday as part of an ongoing TV and radio advertising-campaign warning of the dangers of level crossings.

Seconds before the drama the man was caught on CCTV nonchalantly strolling onto the track, having climbed over a closed barrier

It said the number of motorists taking dangerous and illegal risks on them has reached a four-year high.

Fifteen people died and there were more than 3,400 incidents of misuse recorded last year alone, it added, with five pedestrians and three motorists a week involved in near-misses.

Network Rail is calling on the courts to 'stamp down' on motorists who jump lights and dodge barriers.

Chief executive Iain Coucher said: 'Every week we see people who ignore warning signs and lights, or drive round barriers at level crossings just to save a few minutes.

'This behaviour has the potential for massive damage, disruption and death. We think the judiciary penalties received need to reflect the seriousness of these crimes.'

Network Rail said its TV and radio advertising campaign warning of the dangers of level crossing misuse which launched in November is running across Britain again this month.

Mr Coucher added: 'We hope that increased awareness of the dangers of taking risks at level crossings, coupled with tough sentences for those caught breaking the law, will act as a deterrent and help bring down the number of offences and ultimately save lives.'