Heart-stopping footage has emerged of a toddler wandering onto railway tracks - before an oncoming train starts blaring its horn.
In the terrifying clip the tot's mother can be seen opening the safety gate onto the tracks to let the youngster out in front of her as she pushes a buggy.
The toddler can be seen making its way across the tracks in Denbighshire, North Wales - and then a horn starts booming.
It seems to take the mother a moment to register what's happening before she frantically starts hurrying alongside the toddler as a train fast approaches.
She quickly grabs the tot's hand and starts pushing the youngster through the safety gate on the other side.
![Terrifying footage has emerged of a toddler crossing tracks in Wales less than a minute before a train travels through](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/16/16/88605461-13750269-Terrifying_footage_has_emerged_of_a_toddler_crossing_tracks_in_W-a-6_1723821497179.jpg)
Terrifying footage has emerged of a toddler crossing tracks in Wales less than a minute before a train travels through
![The tot's mother can be seen casually walking behind the youngster](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/16/16/88605349-13750269-image-a-2_1723821362664.jpg)
The tot's mother can be seen casually walking behind the youngster
![The mother appears to hear the train's horn and rushes to get her youngster off the tracks](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/16/16/88605459-13750269-image-a-7_1723821503025.jpg)
The mother appears to hear the train's horn and rushes to get her youngster off the tracks
The horn grows louder as the train continues approaching, before the mother successfully pushes her youngster through the other safety gate.
Less than a minute later, the train reaches the crossing.
The driver appeared to slow the train down drastically after seeing the tot crossing ahead, but Network Rail says they can travel up to 75mphon those tracks.
The horrifying footage was snapped at Sandy Lane level crossing in Prestatyn, Denbighshire.
It was captured earlier this month - around 10.20am on August 1.
Network Rail, which released the footage, said four near-misses were reported at the crossing over the past two years - and a further 15 incidents of misuse.
The rail giant said warning signs are up near the crossing which and urge users to stop, look, and listen for approaching trains.
Network Rail said: 'This shocking footage, taken from one of our CCTV cameras at Sandy Lane level crossing in Prestatyn earlier this month, underlines the importance of taking care and staying alert when using a crossing.
![The train can be seen approaching (top left) as the mother tries to get her youngster through the safety gate](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/16/16/88605463-13750269-The_train_can_be_seen_approaching_top_left_as_the_mother_tries_t-a-20_1723823057312.jpg)
The train can be seen approaching (top left) as the mother tries to get her youngster through the safety gate
![The train can be seen passing over the crossing less than a minute later](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/16/16/88605457-13750269-The_train_can_be_seen_passing_over_the_crossing_less_than_a_minu-a-19_1723823043749.jpg)
The train can be seen passing over the crossing less than a minute later
'We would like to remind all level crossing users to stop, look and listen, pay attention to all signage, check both ways before crossing and never cross if a train is coming.
'Always cross quickly and safely and do not stop when on the crossing.
'In the video clip, the alertness of the train driver prevented a potentially serious incident, and we must stress how dangerous level crossings can be if not used appropriately.'
The horrifying CCTV was released just weeks after rail bosses slammed influencers and teenagers playing Russian roulette to take photoshoots and play 'chicken' on a live railway track.
A series of CCTV clips reveal people dicing with death on Chesnut Grove level crossing in Burton Joyce, Nottinghamshire.
In one terrifying near-miss incident in August last year, a man can be seen taking pictures of a woman as she straddles a chair in the middle of he tracks.
The snapper can be seen putting one foot on the line while taking photos of the woman - who appears carefree- as she strikes several seductive poses.
In another taken on July 13, four youths are seen playing on the tracks in the dead of night, with one lying on the ground as they laugh and take pictures of him.
The hair-raising scenes prompted rail chiefs to issue a warning of the lethal consequences their selfish behaviour could have.
Other clips show a woman coming one second away from being wiped out by a train as she walked her dog on the crossing on May 6 this year.
In the heart-stopping footage, the train driver repeatedly sounds the horn, moments before the woman scrambles through a gate.
Several other people were also caught on the covert cameras risking their lives by trying to out-run the passing trains.