Drinker Lucky To Be Alive

A man who drank so much that he collapsed and passed out with his head on a railway line is facing court after being charged with obstructing the railways.

Kevin Craswell, a former company director who is now unemployed, risked being electrocuted or being hit by a train after drinking a "lethal" amount.

He faces Redhill magistrates in Surrey after pleading guilty to a charge of obstructing the railway by neglect.

The charges stem from an incident at Epsom railway station in March when staff spotted Craswell lying beside the tracks with his head resting on the running rail. Train lines had to be closed while rescue staff approached.

British Transport Policeman Keith Board said: "It was truly remarkable that he wasn't struck by a train or fatally electrocuted. The position he collapsed in meant his feet were only a short distance from the live rail.

"I've never seen anything like it in all my years of policing," he said.

Craswell, 48 and from Ashtead, was taken to hospital for treatment. Doctors said he had drunk a potentially-lethal amount of alcohol.

CCTV footage of the incident captured from a police helicopter showed a train being diverted to avoid striking the man.

PC Board said: "In total, four railway lines were impacted, costing almost £8,000 in delays. Trains had to stop running and the power was turned off so that police and emergency crews could safely get to him.

"This certainly wasn't the sort of case we see every day, but it highlights the dangers of trespassing on the railways and in particular that being intoxicated near the railway can have very serious consequences."

Sky News