Now that's silver service: Hero waiter vaults live tracks to save blind woman, 55, from train

A waiter is being hailed a hero today for running across live train tracks to save a blind woman who had fallen from a station platform.

Mohammed Enayet Hossein was first to react when the 55-year-old woman, who had a guide dog, lost her bearings and plunged onto the rails just two minutes before a train was due.

As several passengers ran across a footbridge to reach the empty platform on the other side, Mr Hossein, 36, jumped onto the tracks and carefully stepped over the live rail to reach the stricken woman.

He then lifted her to safety with the help of the other passengers before the train arrived.

Ambulance paramedics arrived at Christchurch train station in Dorset and checked the woman over before taking her home.

Her guide dog remained on the platform throughout the ordeal and was unharmed.

Mr Hossein, who works at a restaurant in Christchurch, said: "I acted as quickly as I could.

"There was only two minutes until the train was due to arrive, so I jumped onto the line to get across to the lady.

"Another person went over the railway bridge to get to the other side. I was worried about touching the live rail, but I thought if I was careful, I could avoid it.

"The lady was crying and thanking me lots and so was everyone else. When I saw what happened, I felt it was my responsibility to help out. I saved her life as if it were my sister."

Eyewitness Barbara Dryhurst said she "watched in horror" after the woman stumbled, leaving her guide dog staring down from the platform.

She said: "She was alone on her platform but there was a crowd on my side waiting for the train. When she fell onto the rails, people called 999 straight away.

"I saw her lying across the track on her back. Her guide dog was on the platform looking down at her.

"There was no one to immediately help but, suddenly, a man just darted across the track, dodging the live rails. He moved so fast, he didn't seem to think about the danger."

A spokesman for rail operator South West Trains, said: "There was an incident at Christchurch station where a lady looked to have lost her bearings whilst on the platform and slipped down onto the track.

"She was helped up immediately by another passenger on the platform, and our member of station staff who was in the booking office at the time, was made aware of the incident and helped with arranging for her to go to hospital to be checked over.

"We will be making contact directly with the lady to check how she is."

The incident happened at 10.30am on Monday.