A railway worker in China managed to save a young woman when she attempted to take her own life by jumping in front of an approaching train.

The incident took place earlier this week at Xianyou Railway Station in Putian city in east China's Fujian province, state media reported on Saturday (13 May).

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Surveillance footage from the scene released by state broadcaster CCTV shows a woman, believed to be a university student in her twenties, waiting on the platform on 10 May. She suddenly attempts to jump onto the railway tracks as a train approaches on the other side of the platform. Almost at the same time, another incoming train approaches on a parallel track close to where the woman is standing.

The video shows a 54-year-old railway worker, Weng Jianzhong, grabbing the woman's arm as she tries to jump. He pulls her back on to the platform, away from the approaching train with barely a few seconds to spare. Just as the pair fall to the ground, the train races past them.

The woman is seen bursting into tears after being pulled to safety. She was later taken to a hospital but is said to have suffered no serious injuries. Reports said Weng suffered injuries when he knocked his head on the ground during the rescue act.

Weng reportedly received 6,000 Chinese yuan (£675) as reward for his act of bravery. Local media reports say Weng had noticed that the woman was in a low mood.

Government statistics for 1999 show the suicide rate per 100,000 people was 13.0 for men and 14.8 for women in China. The country is believed to have the second highest female suicide rate in the world.

Railway staff saves woman
Screenshot from the surveillance footage from the scene released by state broadcaster CCTV shows a woman attempting to jump onto the railway tracks at Xianyou Railway Station in Putian city in east China’s Fujian province

Earlier in February, a toddler was saved from a frightening accident in north western China's Qinghai province. The girl, who was walking with her mother on the platform's edge, accidental slipped and got trapped between the platform and a train that was due to depart. Railway staff, police and passengers came to her rescue and lifted her off the track.

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