Woman thrown onto railway lines by youths after smoking row » Communities » 24dash.com

A woman commuter was thrown onto a railway line after telling two youths to stop smoking on a station platform today.

The woman suffered burns and a suspected broken collar bone and was taken to hospital after the incident, which happened at Farningham Road station in Kent during this morning's rush hour.

South Eastern train services between Kent and London were disrupted because the power had to be turned off.

The company said the woman asked the youths to stop smoking on the station platform, where smoking is banned. A scuffle started and she was thrown onto the track before being pulled off by fellow passengers.

Police are investigating the incident, which was captured on cctv.

A South Eastern spokesman said: "We are appalled by this incident and hope the perpetrators are quickly identified."

British Transport Police said the woman was lucky to be alive because the "live" rail was carrying 750 volts of electricity.

Officers were studying CCTV footage of the incident and were said to be following up a number of leads.

Detective Inspector Bob Richardson, from the British Transport Police, said: "It would appear the woman had spoken to the men about smoking earlier this week. This morning when she was at the station, she was walking past the same men when one them pushed her and she fell onto the track.

"She suffered a fractured wrist and bruising to her legs. She was taken to hospital for treatment but has since been released.

"The woman was very lucky she was not more seriously injured. The third rail carries 750 volts of electricity and she could have been electrocuted or even struck by an early morning train."

The stationmaster at Farningham Road, who did not want to be named, said he did not witness the incident and other commuters who did had already departed on their trains.

The tiny platform station, which is only manned by one member of staff, was deserted by mid-morning.

Ian Buttery, a construction worker who was repairing fences bordering the station, said he arrived just after the incident happened.

He said: "I got here at around 8am and there were three police cars.

"I heard from other people that a pregnant woman had been pushed on to the track after she asked the men to stop smoking."

One of the males was described by police as being white, aged in his mid 20s, about 6ft tall, with a stocky build. He had short cropped brown hair, was wearing beige shorts, a green round-necked t-shirt and trainers.

The second male was a white male in his early 20s, with a medium build, bright red shorts and a dark top.