Train misses trespasser by inches at Cradley Heath station - WATCH

He steps down on to the tracks, seemingly to search for something before the lights of a train appear round the corner.

Just in time, the man leaps and rolls on to the platform, away from the train passing through the Cradley Heath Station.

The CCTV footage shows one of 588 trespass incidents in the West Midlands last year.

The video released by the British Transport Police was taken on December 13.

It was taken at the Cradley Heath stop, on the line between Stourbridge and Birmingham Moor Street, where not all trains stop.

British Transport Police attended the incident, but officers were unable to find the man.

The clip has been released as part of a campaign to raise awareness, as new figures show more people than ever in the West Midlands have been endangering their lives.

There were 588 trespass incidents in the region last year – a rise of two per cent compared to 2015 – according to data from Network Rail and the British Transport Police.

There were 58 children caught by police too, with boys aged 14 to 16 being the main offenders and peaks coinciding with the spring and summer school holidays.

Inspector Dave Rams, from British Transport Police in the West Midlands, said: "We believe the number of children we encounter trespassing every year is just the tip of the iceberg.

"Every single day we are called to the tracks because a train driver has had to sound their horn or apply their emergency brake in a desperate bid to avoid youths on the line, who then run off, seemingly unaware of the danger they have put themselves in.

"We continue to do all we can to keep youngsters safe by patrolling areas where we know they're likely to trespass and prevent them from doing so."

In response to the surge, Network Rail and the British Transport Police have launched a nationwide schools programme, aiming to teach pupils in trespass hotspots about railway safety. The Tackling Track Safety initiative is also being rolled out in schools across the country.

Insp Rams said: "We cover thousands of miles of track and we cannot tackle this issue alone. That is why we are urging parents and young people to heed this warning and take a reality check when it comes to trespass."