A MAN has been blasted by police rail bosses after being was seen to dice with death while walking along Dawlish railway line.
Video footage from a webcam shows the man narrowly avoiding oncoming trains just past Dawlish railway station.
Network Rail has described his action’s as ‘sheer stupidity’.
Alison Kramer, Network Rail Community Safety Manager, said: ‘It is really disappointing to see instances of trespass such as this recent incident at Dawlish.
‘The sheer stupidity and disregard for his own safety and that of the train driver and passengers is shocking.
‘We work extremely hard to highlight the dangers of trespassing on the railway and continue to work closely with our colleagues at the British Transport Police to reduce trespassing and identify individuals who choose to break the law.
‘We encourage members of the public to report any trespass incidents they witness.’
Inspector Darren Burridge from British Transport Police said: ‘We see hundreds of people taking risks on and around the railway every year, resulting in tragic consequences or life-changing injuries.
‘Both outcomes are avoidable.
‘People should never anticipate when the next train is due – particularly as freight services can run at any time of day or night and travel at high speed.
‘Our network of uniformed and plain-clothed police officers, and over 150,000 CCTV cameras, monitor the railway 24/7. If you see someone trespassing on the railway, please text 61016 or call 0800 40 50 40.’
The man pictured in the footage from a webcam at the Sea Breeze cafe can be seen at 4.30am smoking and taking selfies and video of himself on the tracks in the early hours of the morning.
He spent a total of 12 minutes on the rails while the sleeper service from Paddington Station came past.
At one point, he was seen taking selfies when he heard the train approach and had to make a run for it to get away. He also appears to either sit or lie down between the tracks.
Just moments after making a run from the oncoming train, he was seen to make the video call.