Hundreds of children nearly fall to their death at train stations across Sydney

HUNDREDS of children come within a whisker of death each year as they slip between trains and the platform edges at Sydney’s stations. Watch the terrifying footage.

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HUNDREDS of children have come within a whisker of death after plunging through the gap between trains and platforms at Sydney’s stations.

Horrifying new CCTV footage has been released to highlight the terrible danger, including heart-stopping video of young kids disappearing underneath trains as they step on or off the platform. In many cases, horrendous deaths have been prevented by just seconds because parents and quick-thinking passengers frantically shouted and waved for the train to not start moving.

Last year an incredible 223 children fell beneath trains at stations — down slightly from 237 in 2015. The number of injuries rose from 72 in 2015 to 81 last year.

A young girl falls between the train and platform at Wynyard. Picture: Sydney Trains

A man rushes to help the girl. Picture: Sydney Trains

Luckily, the girl escaped unscathed. Sydney Trains

Miraculously nobody has been killed — but the incidents have prompted a stark warning from Transport Minister Andrew Constance for parents to pay greater attention to their children while boarding or stepping off trains.

“The rise in the number of injuries suffered by kids slipping through the gap on station platforms is a concern, and I worry that unless we get the message across that parents need to be more vigilant, it will only be a matter of time before we see a serious accident,” he told the Daily Telegraph.

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A young boy almost falls between the train and platform at Cronulla Station in January last year. Picture: Sydney Trains

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“Our message is don’t rush, hold your child’s hand and please take care when you are at a busy station.

“We’ve got school holidays and the Easter Show upon us, and with packed trains and excited kids it’s more important than ever to be keeping an eye on children.”

Sydney Trains boss Howard Collins added: “If you’re using a pram, keep a firm hold and always apply the brakes at the station and on the train.”

A young boy falls between the train and platform at North Sydney station last September. Picture: Sydney Trains.

One of the shocking clips released by the state government shows a young boy plunging beneath a train as he tries to board at Cronulla.

The two adults he was with, who appear to be his grandparents, frantically wave for the train to not move as they haul the child back up through the gap to safety.

In another clip, a young girl falls underneath a train at Epping station as she steps onto the platform while holding hands with a female adult.

A woman is about to lose her grip on a young child at Epping Station last October. Picture: Sydney Trains

The child quickly falls from the woman’s grip. Picture: Sydney Trains

The woman barely has time to react. Picture: Sydney Trains

People call for help while the woman tries to retrieve the child. Picture: Sydney Trains

Passengers rush to the child’s aid, waving for the train to remain stationary as the woman hauls the child back up through the gap.

Dozens of passengers also rushed to the aid of a young girl who fell through the gap between the platform and a train at North Sydney station.

There was a similar incident at Wynyard just three weeks ago, with a young girl carrying a bag slipping partly down the gap before a man rushed to her aid.