Passengers save life of blind man who fell on to tracks with train approaching

Transport for London said it was 'very grateful' to the people who rushed to help

There were screams of "Oh my god!" when the fully-blind man tripped (Matt Buck)

Terrified passengers watched in horror as a blind man tripped and fell onto tracks as a train was approaching.

Screams of “Oh my god!” alerted station staff who ‘frantically’ rushed to turn off the power.

Quick-thinking travellers managed to drag the man to safety at Finchley Road Tube station in north-west London.

Witness Jack Mendel, 23, from Wembley, told The Independent: “I heard shouting - someone shouted ‘Oh my god!’ I looked around and I could see a lot of people crowding around.

“He had fallen on to the tracks. I could see his stick.

“It was very frightening."

Asked if he thought the passengers saved his life, Mr Mendal said: “I guess so. He was a blind man – he didn’t seem to know what was going on. He looked visibly shell-shocked.

"It begs the question, what were the station staff doing? How did it happen?"

Attendants alerted the approaching train with 'frantic arm waving', Mr Mendel said.

About five people and a station attendant pull the man, thought to be in his 30s, from the tracks.

A Transport for London spokeswoman said the man did not have a station chaperone with him.

She said: “He was a fully blind man with a stick. He was switching platforms when he tripped and fell.

“Passengers and station staff managed to stop the train and got the power switched off.

“He takes the journey every day and says he doesn’t want or need help. It is up to the individual.

“We are very grateful to the passengers who helped him. They got straight onto a Met line train so we don’t know who they are but we are obviously very grateful to them.”