This is the moment a soldier ran across live rails into the path of an oncoming train to rescue a woman who fell on the tracks.
Billy McPhail, 26, was standing on the opposite platform at Strood station when he saw the pensioner run for a train and slip.
He leaped down and ran 100 yards to the other side - narrowly missing a passing service.
Incredibly, the paratrooper reached the woman, lifted her on to the platform and jumped up moments before the 6.05am train, hurtling towards them, slammed to a brake just yards away.
Mr McPhail, who was travelling home to Essex last Thursday after visiting friends in Kent, said: 'I was on the opposite platform 200 yards away and I saw the lady fall down in between the tracks and then heard the train horn coming.
'I was just thinking, "if I don’t get her off the tracks then she will die".
'Everyone was screaming and shouting but I was not really thinking about what I was doing.
'I jumped down and ran across the track - I only just missed a train coming from the other direction.
'I just jumped down to save her as the train was coming into the station. It was very close.
'My dad said I was an idiot to risk my life but I would like to think if I was ever in an accident then someone would jump in and rescue me.'
Captured on the incoming train's camera, commuters can be seen rushing along the platform to flag it down and looking back with concern as it approaches.
Crowds gathered around the woman, known only as Barbara and thought to be in her sixties, when she was pulled onto the platform.
She was then taken to hospital with a broken ankle.
Mr McPhail explained: 'I am really not a hero, I just acted on instinct.
'I just didn’t think of the dangers.
'I saw her ankle bent the wrong way, so I knew she was hurt and I couldn’t move her on my own.
'I called to another guy to help, he jumped down and other people ran along the platform to try and flag down the train.
'Luckily, it managed to stop a few yards away from us at the end of the platform.'
The woman is now believed to be recovering in hospital after an operation on her broken ankle.
Rail operator Southeastern Trains has now launched full investigation into the incident.
A spokesman for the company congratulated Mr McPhail on his bravery but warned of the dangers of jumping onto live railway tracks.
He said: 'What Mr McPhail did was commendable - he took it upon himself to save this woman’s life.
'However Strood Station has a live electrical line and our advice is usually in the event of an emergency to contact station staff and they will call the signallers to cut power to the line.
'However Mr McPhail acted on instinct and, without any regard for his own safety, saved this woman’s life.'
Mr McPhail is hoping to join the parachute regiment in Colchester, Essex, when he completes his training.
Billy McPhail, 26, was standing on the opposite platform at Strood station when he saw the pensioner run for a train and slip.
He leaped down and ran 100 yards to the other side - narrowly missing a passing service.
Incredibly, the paratrooper reached the woman, lifted her on to the platform and jumped up moments before the 6.05am train, hurtling towards them, slammed to a brake just yards away.
Mr McPhail, who was travelling home to Essex last Thursday after visiting friends in Kent, said: 'I was on the opposite platform 200 yards away and I saw the lady fall down in between the tracks and then heard the train horn coming.
'I was just thinking, "if I don’t get her off the tracks then she will die".
'Everyone was screaming and shouting but I was not really thinking about what I was doing.
'I jumped down and ran across the track - I only just missed a train coming from the other direction.
'I just jumped down to save her as the train was coming into the station. It was very close.
'My dad said I was an idiot to risk my life but I would like to think if I was ever in an accident then someone would jump in and rescue me.'
Captured on the incoming train's camera, commuters can be seen rushing along the platform to flag it down and looking back with concern as it approaches.
Crowds gathered around the woman, known only as Barbara and thought to be in her sixties, when she was pulled onto the platform.
She was then taken to hospital with a broken ankle.
Mr McPhail explained: 'I am really not a hero, I just acted on instinct.
'I just didn’t think of the dangers.
'I saw her ankle bent the wrong way, so I knew she was hurt and I couldn’t move her on my own.
'I called to another guy to help, he jumped down and other people ran along the platform to try and flag down the train.
'Luckily, it managed to stop a few yards away from us at the end of the platform.'
The woman is now believed to be recovering in hospital after an operation on her broken ankle.
Rail operator Southeastern Trains has now launched full investigation into the incident.
A spokesman for the company congratulated Mr McPhail on his bravery but warned of the dangers of jumping onto live railway tracks.
He said: 'What Mr McPhail did was commendable - he took it upon himself to save this woman’s life.
'However Strood Station has a live electrical line and our advice is usually in the event of an emergency to contact station staff and they will call the signallers to cut power to the line.
'However Mr McPhail acted on instinct and, without any regard for his own safety, saved this woman’s life.'
Mr McPhail is hoping to join the parachute regiment in Colchester, Essex, when he completes his training.
Source : DailyMail
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