RAIL chiefs have criticised a man who risked his life by loitering on a controversial crossing as a high-speed train hurtled towards him.

Ignoring the warning lights and alarm the pedestrian walked past an adjoining footbridge and ambled across the track as the barriers began to descend.

Bournemouth Echo:

People watched in horror as he opted to stay on the line rather than escape.

Bournemouth Echo:

Casually swigging from a can he turned around and walked back to the rails – ignoring desperate cries of: “Get off the crossing”.

Eventually he darted to safety by ducking under the other gate, halted in mid-air by a signalman watching the drama on CCTV.

Seconds later a train hurtled through the crossing, just feet from where he was standing.

The incident at Junction Road, Totton, was caught on camera by rail enthusiast Bradley Hurrion.

It happened just four months after former Brockenhurst College student William Brutnell, 18, of Christchuch, died after being hit by a train at the site.

Bradley, 17, of Hythe, said: “I was filming when a man walked onto the crossing and became trapped. One of the barriers was deliberately left up so he could get off the line but he just stood there.

"A signalman using a lineside phone rang up and wanted to know what was going on.

"A member of the public managed to coax the pedestrian off the crossing and a train went through about 30 seconds later.“I think the man’s behaviour was idiotic – and so did the signalman.”

A Network Rail spokesman said the man added: “Sadly in this instance the gentleman appears to ignore the flashing lights, the audible alarm and the barriers. In doing so he 'put himself at considerable risk'.”

An investigation by our sister paper the Southern Daily Echo revealed that the crossing gave people less time to get across the line than five others in the area.

But Network Rail refused to alter the timings, saying they fell within guidelines.