Mother drags three-year-old son by the hand to their deaths under speeding train in morning rush hour double rail tragedy

Scene: The train involved in the incident can be seen at a standstill at Riddlesdown train station near Croydon, South London, as emergency services arrive at the scene

A mother and her three-year-old son have both been killed in front of horrified commuters today after she jumped in front of a morning rush hour train, pulling the child with her.

The woman, believed to be in her early forties, is said to have 'dragged' the toddler into the path of an oncoming train at Riddlesdown station near Croydon, South London, at around 8.30am this morning.

A rail worker, who did not want to be named, said he had spoken to the shocked driver of the train involved after the incident.

'He is pretty shook up as you can imagine. Anyone would be. He is speaking to British Transport Police and then they will send him home.'

British Transport Police said the incident happened at Riddlesdown rail station in Purley, near Croydon, at about 8.30am.

The ambulance service was called but the two victims were confirmed dead at the scene. 

Commuter Paul Camlett, 38, said: 'I had just arrived at the station when the station master rounded everyone up and ordered them off the platform. Everyone was oblivious to what had happened.

'A woman screamed "there's a body on the track".

'I'm in complete shock. People were crying. They were in complete shock. The woman who screamed just could not speak.'

A spokeswoman for London Ambulance said: 'We were called at 8.30 this morning to reports of two people under a train at Riddlesdown station.

'We sent a responder team in a car, an ambulance crew and officers.

'Sadly a woman and child were pronounced dead at the scene.'

Culled from Dailymail Uk