This is the shocking moment a careless pedestrian dodges an oncoming train at a railway crossing in Southport.

The female local narrowly avoided being struck by the passenger vehicle at Crescent Road railway crossing in Birkdale on January 24.

Authorities reported that the incident occurred around 9:45 am when the resident ignored warning lights and audible signals, coming dangerously close to disaster as a train sped past at up to 60 mph on the Northern line between Birkdale and Hillside stations.

Simon Shipperd of Network Rail stated that the individual appeared distracted and unaware of her surroundings.

He added: 'In my time as a level crossing manager, I haven't seen a near miss this close to being a fatality.'

Chief Inspector Jamie McGowan condemned the reckless behaviour, emphasising that ignoring safety procedures endangers not only the individual but also passengers and rail staff.

He added: 'There is simply no excuse for misusing a level crossing.'

Network Rail, which oversees nearly 6,000 level crossings across Britain, said it has invested more than 200 million GBP since 2009 to improve safety through infrastructure upgrades and public education.

Authorities urged pedestrians to remain vigilant and report unsafe behaviour by texting 61016 or dialling 999 in emergencies.