Brave commuters saved a woman from being crushed to death this morning after she fell off the platform in front of a train.

The woman is believed to have slipped off the London-bound platform on to tracks at Rayleigh station just as a train was pulling in at about 8am.

As horrified onlookers rushed to alert officials to stop the train, the woman was hauled to safety - missing being hit by inches.

Melvine Li Vigni, whose daughter Cristina was on the platform, said: "People risked their lives to pull the woman up. It's a miracle she's not dead."

British Transport Police said the woman had felt dizzy and faint before falling onto the tracks.

She was taken to hospital suffering from shock.

Published Wednesday, February 5, 2003

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