A female commuter was thrown on to a live railway line after telling two youths to stop smoking on a station platform this morning.

 

The woman, whose identity is not known, suffered burns and a suspected broken collar bone and was taken to hospital after the incident, at Farningham Road station in Kent during the rush hour shortly after 7am.

 

A construction worker, who did not witness the attack, said that he was told the victim was pregnant.

 

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

 

The train company said that the woman had asked the youths to stop smoking on the station platform, where it is banned.

 

A scuffle started on the tiny platform, which is only manned by one member of staff, and she was thrown on to the track before fellow passengers dragged her off.

 

British Transport Police are studying CCTV footage of the incident and were said to be following up a number of leads. A spokesman said that the woman was lucky to be alive because the “live” rail was carrying 750 volts of electricity.

 

“We are appalled by this incident and hope the perpetrators are quickly identified," a South Eastern trains spokesman said.

 

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

 

“I got here at around 8am and there were three police cars," he said.

 

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

 

Smoking was banned on England’s 1,900 railway stations last July.

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article4469907.ece

I read that story on teletext - but it was an older lady in that version

the daily mail has a 58 year old woman with a picture of her, but still includes the pregnant lady quote at the end of the article :confused:

Maybe it's a game of chinese whispers???

 

Or each person was trying to outdo the last???

 

The Sun will probably report it was a blind woman... The Mirror will say it was a woman with one leg... The Daily Star will claim it was Danielle Lloyd - or at least put her on the front page talking about it!

What a horrible thing to do, I feel bad for her, although slightly on topic I have to say how stupid is it banning smoking on an outdoor rail platform seeing as it's outside and doesn't affect anyone else, I'm a lifelong non smoker and would never smoke as I value my fitness and health but you hav to admit it's a stupid rule.

^^ true.

 

but she was pregnant, so i guess she just didn't want to be around that. the poor, poor girl.

 

:(

What a horrible thing to do, I feel bad for her, although slightly on topic I have to say how stupid is it banning smoking on an outdoor rail platform seeing as it's outside and doesn't affect anyone else, I'm a lifelong non smoker and would never smoke as I value my fitness and health but you hav to admit it's a stupid rule.

 

its the same as at bus stops. I hate having to stand there whilst someone else's smoke is blown in my face by the wind. and if her station is anything like Manchester Piccadilly, there's no room to move away from the smoke when its busy.