British Transport Police issue warning after train '˜jumps in the air'

British Transport Police have issued a warning after a gang placed wooden planks across a railway line and watched a train smash into them.
CCTV footage shows the gang on the tracksCCTV footage shows the gang on the tracks
CCTV footage shows the gang on the tracks

The gang are currently being hunted by police after the incident in Buckinghamshire on August 11, where a group were caught on camera putting large wooden planks across railway tracks.

A member of the public called 999 but before anything could be done, a train crashed into the planks.

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The train was badly damaged but not derailed and there were no injuries. However, passengers said they felt the carriage ‘jump in the air’.

Investigating officer PC Jay Townsend used the incident as an opportunity to fire out a nationwide warning.

“This was an incredibly stupid thing to do and it beggars belief that someone would think this was a funny thing to do,” he said.

“Not only is trespassing on the railway extremely dangerous – with trains travelling well in excess of 100mph – but this could have caused the train to derail, and who knows what might have happened.

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“We were lucky this time but acts like this can easily have fatal consequences.”

PC Townsend is now hoping to catch the culprits and bring them to justice.

“Although these images are grainy, we are releasing them in the hope that someone comes forward with information,” he added.

“Do you know who might have done this? Have you seen someone bragging about this on social media, or maybe uploading a video of themselves on the tracks?

“If you have any information, please get in touch.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016, quoting 505 of 11/8.