Woman saved from oncoming train

Two police officers who snatched a woman from railway tracks as a high-speed inter-city train speeded towards them have been praised for their actions.

The 37-year-old woman, believed to be from Edinburgh, was pulled to safety after she ran into the path of the oncoming train on the East Coast Main Line in Northumberland.

Sergeant Paul Reed and Pc Mick Pattinson grabbed the woman only feet away from the high-speed train on Tuesday night.

They had been called to Alnmouth Station shortly after 1830 BST by staff concerned about the woman who was in a "distressed" state.

When the officers spoke to her she jumped onto the railway line and ran along the track.

But when attempts to stop the approaching train failed, the two officers chased the woman, pulling her from its path.

A spokesman for Northumbria Police said that at the closest point the express train was just 3 metres (10ft) away from the officers and the woman.

Superintendent Paul Common of North Northumberland area command said: "In the best traditions of the police service these two officers took great risks with no thought for their own safety as they went on to the rails to help a member of the public.

"There is no doubt they prevented a potential tragedy and we are thankful that no one was injured during the incident."