Train '˜jumps in the air' after gang place large wooden planks across tracks

A gang who placed wooden planks across a railway line and watched a train smash into them are being hunted by police.
CCTV footage shows the gang on the tracksCCTV footage shows the gang on the tracks
CCTV footage shows the gang on the tracks

At around 7pm on August 11, a group were caught on camera putting large wooden planks across the tracks next to Stoke Leys Close in Aylesbury.

A member of the public called 999 but before anything could be done, a train crashed into the planks.

The train was badly damaged but not derailed and there were no injuries. However, passengers said they felt the carriage ‘jump in the air’.

Investigating officer PC Jay Townsend said: “This was an incredibly stupid thing to do and it beggars belief that someone would think this was a funny thing to do.

“Not only is trespassing on the railway extremely dangerous – with trains travelling well in excess of 100mph – but this could have caused the train to derail, and who knows what might have happened.

“Although these images are grainy, we are releasing them in the hope that someone comes forward with information.

“Do you know who might have done this? Have you seen someone bragging about this on social media, or maybe uploading a video of themselves on the tracks?

“If you have any information, please get in touch. We were lucky this time but acts like this can easily have fatal consequences.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016, quoting 505 of 11/8.

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