Shocking CCTV footage shows people risking lives for pictures on level crossings
This is the shocking moment a man stops to take a picture of a little girl while she poses on a level crossing.
The man can be seen taking pictures of the youngster – who appears to be of primary school age – in different directions on the East Yorkshire crossing.
Their car can be seen in the background with its doors open as the child adopts various poses and occasionally looks behind her for approaching trains.
The picture is just one of several moments from the CCTV footage where people put their lives at risk for the sake of a selfie.
Another shocking moment shows a group of cyclists who dismount their bikes and line up for a group photo on the crossing.
Network Rail released the footage, shot at the crossing in Harpham, East Yorkshire, in a bid to highlight the dangers posed by ignoring warning lights and alarms.
The rail body slammed "incredibly dangerous behaviour" that "could have resulted in fatal or life-changing consequences" because trains travel at up to 70mph over the crossing.
A spokesman for the organisation said: "Network Rail is urging cyclists and pedestrians to use level crossings safely after shocking CCTV footage shows people recklessly misusing a crossing in East Yorkshire.
"Network Rail advises that at any level crossing with facilities for pedestrians and cyclists to cross, they must do so quickly and without stopping after they have checked it is safe to do so.
"Most crossings have warning lights that indicate when a train is approaching even when the gates are still open."
A cyclist is also seen wedging his bike in the tracks to help a rider through the gate on to the crossing, while a walker carrying a large backpack is also seen to enter the crossing and then pause before wandering on.
The spokesman added: "Each incident could have resulted in fatal or life-changing consequences.
"Trains cannot stop quickly or swerve out of the way, so it is vital that anyone using a level crossing follows the guidance and crosses quickly, without stopping, to avoid any horrific incidents or delays to train services."
The shocking footage is released as stark statistics show there were 316 near-misses at level crossings in the past 12 months – an increase of almost 5% on the previous year.
Operations risk adviser Vicki Beadle said: “More people are exercising outdoors during the summer, and may be taking new, unfamiliar routes, but the railway is not a photo opportunity and it is never safe to stop or hang around on the tracks.
“It is crucial that people take extra care to cross quickly and directly, once they’ve checked it is safe.”