Today's most viewed
Officer saves Derby County fan's life at Blackburn station
 |
| RESCUE: Sgt David Grant dragged a drunken football fan from the path of a train at Blackburn |
A POLICE officer saved the life of a drunken football fan by dragging him from the path of a train with seconds to spare.
"I thought he was a goner", said Sergeant David Grant as he told of the dramatic weekend rescue.
Sgt Grant was on duty on platform four at Blackburn train station at 6.30pm on Saturday monitoring crowds of football fans heading home from the Blackburn Rovers and Derby County match.
He said he looked towards the tunnel under Cicely Lane and saw the man 'staggering' along the track with the train approaching.
Sgt Grant, who is based at Preston and regularly covers football matches across Lancashire, set off running alongside the track to try and rescue him.
He said: "I ran quite a distance to the tunnel.
"I really thought I was witnessing someone being killed.
"As I got closer to him I couldn't weigh up what would happen if I shouted.
 |
| The man (circled) as the train leaves the tunnel near Blackburn station |
"I didn't know if it would make him run further into the path of the train or if he would stop.
"I shouted 'Get off the track!' and luckily he turned round.
"I grabbed him on the arm and pulled him off the track 10 seconds before the train arrived."
Sgt Grant said the man did not "fully appreciate" the danger he had been in.
He said: "Because he had been staggering I suspected he was under the influence of alcohol and it turned out he was.
"When I arrested him, he said: 'I was just looking for somewhere to sleep'."
Sgt Grant, 42, who is from British Transport Police, said he was "not a hero at all".
He added: "I was running alongside the track, not on it, so I wasn't worried that I'd get hurt.
"In my job I have to be aware of my own safety.
"It was one of those things. You come across situations and deal with them."
.
Sgt Grant is about to transfer from Preston to Lancaster BTP station.
The 19-year-old man from Derby was arrested and later given a £50 fixed penalty notice for trespassing on a railway.
10:13pm Sunday 4th May 2008
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: Mike, Blackpool on Mon 5 May 08
10 seconds is quite a long time in relevent terms. Had it been 1 or 2, it would have sounded more death defying.
I think arresting him after all that was a bit much.
10 seconds is quite a long time in relevent terms. Had it been 1 or 2, it would have sounded more death defying.
I think arresting him after all that was a bit much.
Posted by: MIKEOXLONG on 1:21am Mon 5 May 08
[quote][bold]Mike[/bold] wrote:
10 seconds is quite a long time in relevent terms. Had it been 1 or 2, it would have sounded more death defying. I think arresting him after all that was a bit much.[/quote] So we should just let drunken F***wits like this wander over train tracks putting other people in danger aswel ? This Sergeant is a hero, when was the last time YOU did something as brave as that?
Mike wrote:
10 seconds is quite a long time in relevent terms. Had it been 1 or 2, it would have sounded more death defying. I think arresting him after all that was a bit much.
So we should just let drunken F***wits like this wander over train tracks putting other people in danger aswel ? This Sergeant is a hero, when was the last time YOU did something as brave as that?
Posted by: egghead, accrington on 2:19am Mon 5 May 08
well done sgt grant you are a hero that man owes you his life
well done sgt grant you are a hero that man owes you his life
Posted by: leston on 5:10am Mon 5 May 08
well done sgt.nice to see the police doing something right for once.well done.
well done sgt.nice to see the police doing something right for once.well done.
Posted by: roversok, home on 7:03am Mon 5 May 08
No mention of the 3 points and £60 fine!
No mention of the 3 points and £60 fine!
Posted by: Wize 1 on 11:19am Mon 5 May 08
[quote][bold]roversok[/bold] wrote:
No mention of the 3 points and £60 fine![/quote] IF you read carefully, numbnutz, you'll see it says he was given a £50 fixed penalty notice for trespassing on a railway, not an endorsable fixed penalty for a driving offence!!!
roversok wrote:
No mention of the 3 points and £60 fine!
IF you read carefully, numbnutz, you'll see it says he was given a £50 fixed penalty notice for trespassing on a railway, not an endorsable fixed penalty for a driving offence!!!
Posted by: onlyonesimongarner on 1:01pm Mon 5 May 08
Ther must be a few around Derby and Leicester that feel like throwing themselves un a train.
Serioulsy though. Well done Sgt Grant, You saved a lot of cleaning up.
Ther must be a few around Derby and Leicester that feel like throwing themselves un a train.
Serioulsy though. Well done Sgt Grant, You saved a lot of cleaning up.
Posted by: Old Git, Sunny Darwen on 1:37pm Mon 5 May 08
[quote][bold]Mike[/bold] wrote:
10 seconds is quite a long time in relevent terms. Had it been 1 or 2, it would have sounded more death defying. I think arresting him after all that was a bit much.[/quote] What a numpty head mike is, well done Sgt Grant.But dont risk your life to save others.
Mike wrote:
10 seconds is quite a long time in relevent terms. Had it been 1 or 2, it would have sounded more death defying. I think arresting him after all that was a bit much.
What a numpty head mike is, well done Sgt Grant.But dont risk your life to save others.
Posted by: Teresa, Darwen on 4:33pm Mon 5 May 08
Well done sgt Grant. Not many would have done what you did. I hope you get a commendation.
Well done sgt Grant. Not many would have done what you did. I hope you get a commendation.
Posted by: Bob, surrey on 5:32pm Mon 5 May 08
I am a police officer in London and It will be Prestons lose and Lancasters gain to have such a brave officer working in my home town. I will endeavour to meet this man and shake his hand.[/bold]
I am a police officer in London and It will be Prestons lose and Lancasters gain to have such a brave officer working in my home town. I will endeavour to meet this man and shake his hand.
Posted by: Bobby Ball, St Helens on 1:55pm Tue 6 May 08
He's nearly got as many points as his team this season!!
He's nearly got as many points as his team this season!!
Posted by: john, blackburn on 5:29pm Tue 6 May 08
mike,i like your sense of humour!
mike,i like your sense of humour!
Posted by: Nathan Tyson, nottingham on 6:07pm Tue 6 May 08
Sheep sheep sheep shagger Sheep sheep sheep shagger!! Bring on the Derby Bring on the Derby
Sheep sheep sheep shagger Sheep sheep sheep shagger!! Bring on the Derby Bring on the Derby
Posted by: dean, crich on 10:14pm Tue 6 May 08
i saw the incident and he kept shouting is dean on the track?, the boy is a menace he clearly pyschiatric help. well done sgt. grant you are my hero i love you.
i saw the incident and he kept shouting is dean on the track?, the boy is a menace he clearly pyschiatric help. well done sgt. grant you are my hero i love you.
Posted by: vicky waiton, normanton on 10:32pm Tue 6 May 08
i know the man in question, he has always been a wierd sort and gets a kick out of need death experiences
i know the man in question, he has always been a wierd sort and gets a kick out of need death experiences
Posted by: Chris Cecil, Nottingham on 11:30pm Tue 6 May 08
[bold]I also know the man in question, ever since ive known the boy he has taken weirdly to alcohol, at first i thought the whole thing was a laugh but after reading this i realise it was a quite serious matter, bit harsh fining him £50 though, he hasnt got a lot of money. He always used to have model trains in his room as a boy. His facination grows every day. I blaim james crossland because he should have looked after him better.[/bold]
I also know the man in question, ever since ive known the boy he has taken weirdly to alcohol, at first i thought the whole thing was a laugh but after reading this i realise it was a quite serious matter, bit harsh fining him £50 though, he hasnt got a lot of money. He always used to have model trains in his room as a boy. His facination grows every day. I blaim james crossland because he should have looked after him better. Posted by: joe kay, wirksworth on 5:03pm Wed 7 May 08
i went to school with this young thug he traumatised me for years, this school bully deserves evrything thats coming to him.
i went to school with this young thug he traumatised me for years, this school bully deserves evrything thats coming to him.
Posted by: Louise Finney, Cromford on 5:10pm Wed 7 May 08
I know the man in question and in honesty I think sgt. grant would have bettr off leaving this little rotter to carry on playing silly buggars on the train tracks by himself. A bully at school, made 10 years of my life hell. Nothing but a troublesome youth. Well done sgt grant, you did well. Shame idiots like this put your life at risk.
I know the man in question and in honesty I think sgt. grant would have bettr off leaving this little rotter to carry on playing silly buggars on the train tracks by himself. A bully at school, made 10 years of my life hell. Nothing but a troublesome youth. Well done sgt grant, you did well. Shame idiots like this put your life at risk.
Posted by: Alistair Ambrose, Bonsill on 5:11pm Wed 7 May 08
Wheres Dean
Posted by: Stuart Pearce, NOTTINGHAM NOTTINGHAM NOTTINGHAM on 5:34pm Wed 7 May 08
For my birthday, when I was a boy my father bought me a brand new toy. A Derby fan on a piece of string, and all I could do was Kick his head in.
For my birthday, when I was a boy my father bought me a brand new toy. A Derby fan on a piece of string, and all I could do was Kick his head in.
Posted by: gaz, derby on 6:12pm Wed 7 May 08
reading from the comments, obviously the boy needs help. But lets not take away the behaviour and the atmosphere created by the 4,000 + derby fans at blackburn.plenty in drink, plenty to party.we will be back. P.S.sorry for the stupid comments from our rivals up the a52. what goes round comes round. good look in europe blackburn.
reading from the comments, obviously the boy needs help. But lets not take away the behaviour and the atmosphere created by the 4,000 + derby fans at blackburn.plenty in drink, plenty to party.we will be back. P.S.sorry for the stupid comments from our rivals up the a52. what goes round comes round. good look in europe blackburn.
Posted by: Dan on 9:50pm Wed 7 May 08
[bold]it was a good thing to do but where was the bravery?[/bold] like he said, he didnt run on the tracks to push him to safety!
it was a good thing to do but where was the bravery? like he said, he didnt run on the tracks to push him to safety!
Posted by: Colin Smith, Wirksworth on 10:54pm Wed 7 May 08
Look its simple, the lad thought he'd seen a Pikachu and tried to catch it, hes clearly a more commited Pokemon catcher than the rest of you!
Look its simple, the lad thought he'd seen a Pikachu and tried to catch it, hes clearly a more commited Pokemon catcher than the rest of you!
Posted by: Ian Woan, NG2 on 11:20pm Wed 7 May 08
[quote][bold]gaz[/bold] wrote:
reading from the comments, obviously the boy needs help. But lets not take away the behaviour and the atmosphere created by the 4,000 + derby fans at blackburn.plenty in drink, plenty to party.we will be back. P.S.sorry for the stupid comments from our rivals up the a52. what goes round comes round. good look in europe blackburn.[/quote] You need help you D**by joke. You won't be back you fecking moron. Jammed promotion last year and now you've been found out for the chancers that you are. WE 8 DERBY OH WE 8 DERBY WE 8 DERBY OH WE 8 DERBY WE 8 DERBY OH WE 8 DERBY WE ARE THE DERBY HATERS. SHEEP SHEEP SHEEP SHAGGERS BAAAAAAAAAAH
gaz wrote:
reading from the comments, obviously the boy needs help. But lets not take away the behaviour and the atmosphere created by the 4,000 + derby fans at blackburn.plenty in drink, plenty to party.we will be back. P.S.sorry for the stupid comments from our rivals up the a52. what goes round comes round. good look in europe blackburn.
You need help you D**by joke. You won't be back you fecking moron. Jammed promotion last year and now you've been found out for the chancers that you are. WE 8 DERBY OH WE 8 DERBY WE 8 DERBY OH WE 8 DERBY WE 8 DERBY OH WE 8 DERBY WE ARE THE DERBY HATERS. SHEEP SHEEP SHEEP SHAGGERS BAAAAAAAAAAH
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
