POTENTIAL life-saving interventions on the rail network have increased by 40 per cent in the past year.

Network Rail, British Transport Police and the samaritans joined forces to reduce the amount of deaths on the railway.

Since April 2016, 1593 interventions have been carried out across the UK, with suicides and potential suicides falling from 253 to 237.

This figure is the lowest since 2010.

Mark Smith, national suicide prevention and mental health lead for British Transport Police, said: "As the national police service for the railways, we are committed to reducing suicide and to our partnership with the rail industry and Samaritans.

"We are very pleased to see the reduction in suicides and suspected suicides and the increase in life saving interventions for the second year in succession.

"One of our contributions is through the work of our suicide prevention and mental health teams, which have NHS Psychiatric nurses working alongside police officers and staff.

"These teams work with statutory and third sector partners to help those people that come to the railway in mental health crisis or suicidal circumstances, access effective care pathways and get on the road to recovery."